The Chronicles of Darci
by AlexfortheQueen
Summary: Darci's breath misted before her as the darkly handsome face leaned closer. He captured her chin as a wicked grin stole across his lips, so close to her own she could almost taste his satisfaction. "Did you want something Darci?"
1. All in a Day's Work

**Warning: This FF contains heinous abuse of JKRowling's plot, a total destruction of the timeline according to the holy books, the obliteration of the character Snape (aka he doesn't exist), a guerrilla girl gang for Lily and worst crime of all I've set an OC up with the magnificent, lordly Sirius Black. Yeah seriously (teehee) I would send hate mail to me for a year, but this is my massively out of hand fantasy so I'm just going to go ahead and do what I want with it. I also added several hundred more students then the book suggests there are and obviously have ridiculously detailed the whole thing way too much but give it a chance you never know and I'd appreciate some reviews. Oh yeah and everything that I haven't tortured and destroyed beyond recognition is the Queen's (JKRowling).**

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**Chapter 1: All in a Day's Work**

_"You're something beautiful_  
_A contradiction_  
_I wanna play the game_  
_I want the friction," - Time is Running Out, Muse_

Darci awoke with a feeling of nervous excitement. The early morning sunlight streamed through her fluttering curtains to lightly illuminate the books on Hogwarts strewn around her head. Darci rubbed her eyes and yawned, pushing her arms out and sending 'Hogwarts: A History' and 'A Comprehensive Guideto Hogwarts Grounds' tumbling to the floor as she stretched. Darci breathed in the morning air and- froze. She sniffed again and swore - Ian was cooking. Darci leapt up and scrambled with the door handle as she grabbed her wand. She ended up half falling into the hallway as she raced towards the smell of smoke and burnt food. She arrived just as their fire alarm started screeching at the top of its' lungs.

"HELP! HELP! I'M ON FIRE! SAVE YOURSELF!"

"Oh shut it, you old hag!" Darci muttered as she disabled it and turned the stove off. She was morosely poking at what she was sure was once a pan when her uncle burst into the room a moment later.

"What happened? I had just apparated when I heard Brenda screeching and-"

"Brenda? That's what we're calling her? Really? Was she looted from a muggle car? She's the most insane alarm I've ever come across."

Ian sniffed and set down a pile of groceries that Darci hadn't noticed he'd been carrying.

"I think she has character."

"You're right, she does have character. The character of an insane schizophrenic and I thought we agreed you wouldn't cook anymore."

"I know but it's your first day at Hogwarts and I've moved you around so much in the past few months I wanted you to at least have a nice homemade breakfast and as we haven't found a cook yet I thought I could manage it. I was going to make pancakes and waffles and a nice fruit salad, everything was going well until I realised we don't have any fruit, so I thought I'd quickly apparate to the shops and stock up but I must've forgotten to turn the stove off."

Her uncle looked so disappointed Darci gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. Darci had lived with Ian for going on eight years now. Her mother, Elizabeth, had accidentlydrowned when Darci was six, Darci had never known her father and Liza had left it in her will that Ian, her erratic twin brother, was to have custody of Darci. At the time Ian had worked as a freelance translator and negotiator and Darci had been dragged from country to country, luckily she loved to travel almost as much as her uncle did. When Darci had been about to start school Ian had taken a job with the French Ministry but last year he'd had a falling out with his boss and quit. They'd moved five times since then but Ian was hopeful about his new job with the British Ministry and Darci was looking forward to Hogwarts.

"What's the time?" She looked up at the grandfather clock, "it's only seven we still have plenty of time for a nice breakfast, why don't you see if you can spot Fin with the mail, he should be here soon and I'll get started on breakfast."

Darci discarded the melted pan.

"Here I'll clean up atleast," her uncle offered, "scourgify!"

She examined the contents of the shopping bags, her uncle had gotten quite a bit, far more then they needed. He was an impulsive grocery shopper. She decided on strawberry waffles and poffertjes with dipping sauces instead of pancakes. For the salad she made a large platter of berries with toffeed yoghurt and to finish made some vegetable fritters so they could atleast partially break up her and Ian's massive sweet tooth indulgence. For beverages she made a light melon and strawberry lassi. Twenty-five minutes later she was finishing the last of the frittas.

"Ian!" Ian poked his head out of his study, his paper clasped in one hand, his long auburn hair in disarray; it was back to mornings as usual.

"Everything's ready," she said as she turned everything off and wiped off her hand, "I need to go and get ready so you're in charge of setting the table out and you also need to fix the coffee."

Ian gave her a wide, dazzling grin, "where would I be without you?"

"Starving. Possibly on fire."

Darci stepped back into her spacious room, she loved this house; it reminded her of the best times of her childhood. Built right on a cliff of Ireland's eastern shoreline the view was breathtaking. Her room featured huge windows and a balcony that attached to their garden, which at the moment was stripped bare but Darci hoped to fix that in the holidays. In the centre of her room was her wrought-iron bed draped in white lace. All her walls were, ofcourse, coated in a thick covering of posters, pictures and random sketches she'd done, her new Hogwarts trunk lay at the foot – full but yet untouched but she figured she'd graffiti it while she was on the train. She went into her wardrobe and grabbed the remaining outfit. Once she'd dressed she went to check out the results in the full length mirror. Darci was tall and had a willowy frame. She had once had long black, curling hair but last year had cut most of it off and had let it grow back only a couple of inches since, she grabbed her numerous hair products and styled it into rough pixie spikes, renewed the blue colour spell, and gave herself pink tips. Her nose was pierced with a tiny stud and she had spikes in her snake bite piercings, she also had seven rings of varying size, shape and colour lining her right ear. She wore her patched skinny jeans and a 'Sally Nightmare' long sleeve shirt with a black waspie over the top. She shrugged into her favourite jacket, a formfitting fake leather piece that she'd covered in band badges; she clipped on a thorn-like collar along with some dog tags and an ornate cross. She fitted on all of her favourite rings including finger armour for her right pinkie and slipped on her massive Demonia platform boots. She gave herself a smile and slicked on some red lipstick and applied black eyeliner and shadow. Her eyes were a mostly blue with a ring of green around the pupil but the eyeliner and shadow made them appear darker, the colours harder to distinguish. Finished she grinned and grabbed her handbag and headed into the kitchen.

"Hey, everything ready?"

Her uncle looked up from their coffee machine.

"Almost, all the food's set out, do you want coffee?"

"Nah I'll make some just before we leave." She sat down and served herself out half a dozen poffertjes, three vegie fritters, some fruit salad and poured herself out some lassi, her uncle sat down with his coffee and scooped up the rest of the poffertjes, both of the waffles and some of the fruit salad and drizzled the lot with hot caramel syrup. Darci was used to her uncle eating like an eight year old with a credit card in a candy store.

"You look nice today," she smiled at her uncle, "but you know The Corpse Bride beats The Nightmare before Christmas by a mile."

She chuckled; this was why she loved her uncle. They spent the rest of the meal arguing over Tim Burton movies as they both read and then swapped the muggle newspaper and The Daily Prophet.

By nine thirty they had finished breakfast, wrestled her trunk into the car and managed to con, coerce and force her fat, black cat, King Sol, her Siamese kitten Miss Chief, her snowy owl Valiant and her red-tailed hawk Duke into cages.

"You'll have to remember to thank Dumbledore for allowing you to make an exception and rent out the space for the rest of your zoo." Her uncle huffed out as they finally pushed King Sol's cage into the car. The obese feline was making a low growling noise interspersed occasionally by spitting.

"He's a busy man I doubt I'll even see him. Alright I think we're all ready let's head out."

They arrived at the train station an hour later with just enough time to repack her irritated pets into an empty compartment towards the back of the train. She got back off the train and wrapped her uncle in a bear hug, he had a worried parent look on his face.

"Look if anything, anything at all, goes wrong don't be afraid to owl me, we can always find somewhere else."

She looked her uncle in the eyes, "I swear I won't let things get out of hand again. Besides I think I'm going to like Hogwarts."

Now her uncle smiled, "oh you will I loved our time there."

The whistle for the train blew and her uncle gave her one last fierce hug before she got on the train. When she got to her compartment she leant out the window as the train started up.

"See you in the holidays uncle Ian!"

"I miss you already Darci!"

She waved until the platform faded away and then settled back into her chair. A moment later the compartment door was opened by an attractive honey blonde with blue eyes, he gave her a charming grin.

"Are these seats taken?"

Darci shook her head.

"I'm Will by the way, what year are you in? I don't think I've seen you around the school."

She put her hand into his and he turned it over and kissed the back in a move that was clearly meant to give off an air of old world charm but came off a little bit cheesy.

"I'm Darci, I'm a fourth year but I just transferred."

"Interesting, where are you from?" He went to sit in the seat across from her and received a warning hiss from King Sol.

"Sorry he doesn't like strangers much."

The compartment door slid open again and what Darci assumed was an attractive female vampire stepped in.

"Will, you dick, you left me with three of your bags, next ti-"

She stopped short when she spotted Darci and gave her a long, leisurely look that stretched up and down, she finally met Darci's eyes and gave her a wide smile.

"Well hello gorgeous, I really don't believe we've met, I'm Zaresh but you can call me Zee, is my cousin pissing you off? Don't worry it's not personal, it's a character flaw, he pisses everyone off."

Will gave Zeea cold glare to which she gave a wide, somewhat creepy, grin.

"You know I wasn't really sure what to do with your bags but some nice Gryffindors took them off my hands, I think they took them back to their compartment." She said in a falsely sweet voice. Will swore violently and rushed out the door, Zee sat down in his vacated spot and was received with the same hiss as Will, Zee bared her teeth and hissed right back. Zee had one of the most surprising appearances that Darci had ever seen, she had dark chocolate brown skin, long pin straight black hair and startling ice blue eyes. She was dressed in a deep violet corset, a long silky black dress and high backed collar

"Now gorgeous, I do believe you were introducing yourself?"

"Are you a vampire?" Darci blurted out.

Zee chuckled, "nah, atleast not yet, I've just got screwed up genetics although I suppose you've just met the worst of my gene pool, Will's my cousin."

Darci could feel the surprise on her face, the two couldn't look less alike. She shook it off. "I'm Darci, I just transferred."

"Ahh, I see. I knew a hottie like you couldn't exist in Hogwarts without my knowledge, love the jacket by the way and I don't suppose you're into women by any chance?"

Darci shook her head, "uh, no sorry."

Zee sighed, "I just can't catch a break, have you been sorted yet?"

"No."

"Know what house you're going to get into?"

Darci shrugged, "I read about them but I really don't know, Ravenclaw maybe, my grades are pretty good."

"Well let's hope you end up in Slytherin then maybe we could actually break the legacy of turning out ass holes, ofcourse then you'd have to be in the same house as Pratt boy Will. Are all these pets yours?"

Darci chuckled awkwardly, "uh yeah I know they just seem to accumulate, I actually have more already at Hogwarts although they have to stay mostly with the groundskeeper."

"Really? Well these guys are adorable. I've always wanted pets but we rent so they're never allowed, I'm thinking of getting one anyway though and like maybe charming it so it'd stay invisible but what if it escaped?"

Darci shrugged, "tracking spell?"

"Ah well, for now I'll just live my need for fluffy cuteness through you." She opened King's cage and started dragging him onto her lap.

"Oh no! Don't do that! He bites strangers…" Darci trailed off as King Sol gave Zee a sulky look but settled down onto her lap without further complaint. Darci raised her eyebrows and gave Zee an approving glance.

"He hasn't reacted that well to someone since me and Ian."

Usually anyone brave or stupid enough to take liberties with King Sol's personage got anything from a swiped hand to half a dozen stitches and as odd as it was the cat's opinion meant a lot to Darci. She'd had King Solomon since she'd opened their door in Israel six years ago and he'd walked straight in as if he owned the place. An adorable scruffy, black fluffball, he'd loudly started purring and demanding food.

"I think your other fluffball wants out," Zee nodded towards Miss Chief's cage, Miss had crawled up the barred door of her cat cage and was hanging off, mewling pathetically.

"What's this one's name anyway?"

"That's King Sol, he usually doesn't like people so you should feel very flattered. Do you mind if I let Miss Chief out? She'll just keep on getting louder if I don't."

Zee chuckled, "love the name. Yeah sure, what're the birds' names?"

Darci dragged Miss Chief out of her cage and received a rough kiss on the cheek in greeting followed by Miss purring loudly as she draped her neck across Darci's ear, just to make sure Darci knew she was happy. Darci nodded towards her snowy owl. "Well that's Valiant, I found her almost dead in France after being hit by a car. Everyone said she wouldn't survive but she has a very strong will."

Darci remembered that cold winter they'd spent in Paris when they'd been searching for their new house just before Darci started at Beauxbatons. Darci had been miserable separated from the ocean and Ian had been working late. She'd taken a walk along an empty road when she'd found the magnificent animal. Valiant had lain on the black tarmac, her pure white feathers all dyed a dark crimson, her young body, still obviously juvenile, crushed by the brute power of muggle machinery. It was one of the most shocking images of Darci's childhood. When she'd arrived home with the nearly dead bird in her arms Ian had been home and almost insane with worry. He'd been furious with her for going out so late at night but had still called a vet and a healer for the snowy owl. The healer had had no experience with healing animals and could do nothing for her. There were no animal healers in the near vicinity. The vet had told her it was too late and there was too much damage, that the snowy owl would be dead within hours. He'd also told her it would be kinder to put her down but Ian had left the decision to Darci and Darci couldn't do it. So instead she'd cried herself to sleep with the beautiful animal in her arms. She'd woken in the morning to find the worst of Valiant's injuries healed, it had been the most magic she'd shown up to that point. The confused vet had still been convinced that she wouldn't survive but Valiant had struggled on and earned her name.

Valiant was currently asleep but Duke was making soft croaking noises.

"That's Duke, he was once the prize gem in the Dutch Royal Wizarding family's zoo but I did them a favour once and they gave me him in appreciation. You don't mind if I let him out as well?"

Zee nodded and Darci got up with Miss balancing one shoulder and nuzzling her ear and let Duke's cage open, he stepped onto her other hand and edged up her arm and onto her shoulder, careful the entire time not to dig his claws in. Duke was ever the gentleman.

Zee's eyes widened, "wow, does he have purple eyes?" Darci nodded. "Must've been some favour."

It had been. Darci had been on holidays from Beauxbatonsin her second year when Ian had been working for the Dutch royalty, she had spent the holidays exploring the palace grounds but had continually returned to the cage that housed a young hawk with sad, beautiful violet eyes, she'd been a little obsessed with him. One afternoon the youngest five year old prince had escaped from under his nanny's nose and whilst everyone had been searching had managed to wander down to the beach. Darci had been out swimming when she'd spotted something being dragged out by the surf. The family had been indebted to Darci when she'd arrived back at the palace with the cold and coughing but otherwise fine child and had been more then happy to give her Duke.

"He's very intelligent but he hates cages. He could probably just fly alongside the train, would you like that?"

She gave Duke an affectionate stroke along the head and he preened under the attention. She opened the window and he gave a whistle of happiness before launching himself out.

"As for King Sol, he just sort of decided I'd be his human and Miss Chief here was a gift from a Buddhist monastery for my last birthday. I maintain though that they were attempting to unload a biohazard." She gave Miss an affectionate scratch; the Tibetan monastery had been breeding cats for hundreds of years. Ian had worked for them a few years ago and hadn't heard from them in a while when they'd found the Siamese kitten in their fireplace on the morning of her fourteenth birthday with a note of congratulations. That morning they had left for all of twenty minutes to restock on cat food, when they'd returned Ian had found his study in shambles with several of his books destroyed beyond repair, pages torn and bitten out. Miss had been lying on top of Ian's desk looking a lot tubbier and innocently washing her paws. She had been given a stern reprimand but no one could ever really stay angry at Miss, she was far too cuddly.

Miss climbed down from her shoulder and proceeded to use Darci's trunk as a scratching post. Darci didn't really mind, it gave the trunk an arty look, in a sort of tattered way.

Just then an irritated looking red head poked her head in. She was a little shorter then Zee and Darci making her about average height. She had long, straight, auburn hair and wore jeans and a dark green turtle-neck that brought out her emerald eyes. She reminded Darci strongly of her early memories of her mother.

"Hey would it be alright if I came in here the marauders commandeered my compartment and I think I'd rather sit in the hall then in the same carriage as those big headed pratts."

Zee rolled her eyes, "anyone who thinks the marauders are pratts is fine with me." Lily gave her a surprised smile. "Darci?" Zee addressed her.

"Oh yeah that's fine."

Lily breathed a sigh of relief and dragged her trunk in, "thankyou, I love your hair by the way."

"Thanks," Darci drew her fingers through her multicoloured hair, "I like yours too."

Lily turned her gaze to Zeeas she settled into the chair on Darci's side and set a huge cage containing a magnificent eagle owl between them.

"I've seen you around, you're Zaresh right? I've always loved your outfits, they're so dramatic."

Zee grinned and gave Lily a second, considering look, "Just Zee, I've seen you around too but I don't suppose…"

"I'm sorry but I'm straight." Zee clucked her tongue and sighed.

"See Darci? There are no attractive lesbians at Hogwarts."

Lily chuckled.

"I'm Darci, I just transferred."

"Oh, nice to meet you I'm Lily Evans."

They shook hands and Darci nodded towards the cage, "I've just been explaining to Zee about my small zoo but I love your owl what's his name?"

"Francis, I got him for my birthday last year. I adore him."

Ten minutes later they had gotten into the pros and cons of various typical Disney movies; Zee's favourite was The Lion King, Lily loved Snow White and Darci's favourite was a tie between Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame; when the food trolley rolled by, Lily and Zeeboth bought a few snacks. Ian, being a slightly paranoid parent, had stuffed her pockets with galleons at the last moment so Darci treated them all and bought a bunch of lollipops, she loved them, chocolate frogs, a couple of liquorice wands and two large boxes of Bertie Bott's.

By the time they arrived several hours later Darci was already sure she had made friends for life. Zee was sarcastic, extroverted and witty but an absolutely horrendous singer and had sent Lily and Darci into peals of laughter when she'd attempted a truly awful rendition of Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer. Lily was a little shy to start off with but underneath passionate and surprisingly fairly wild, she also had an infectious laugh to the point where she'd given Darci hiccups.

They had changed into their robes twenty minutes ago and got off the train after a fair bit of fuss, the pets hadn't been happy to return to their cages, then Darci had to bid her new friends farewell as she was to take the boats across with the first years. Lily gave her a fierce hug and wished her luck getting sorted and Darci even got a hug from Zee as she was informed that such a thing was a rarity and she should feel very special. Zee then looked her in the eye and told her that if anyone was a bitch to her she need only say the word and they'd end up literally a bitch.

"Aww Zee is that your way of saying you love me? I'm touched." Darci said around a grin and her last strawberries and cream lollipop.

"Oh fuck off and get on your damn boat." Darci laughed and waved as Lily and Zee got into their thestral-pulled carriages, luckily Darci had seen them before so they didn't give her too much of a start.

Darci was still chuckling when she turned around and ran smack bang into someone, her head hit his chin and she went stumbling back, tripped over an uneven brick and ended up falling on her ass.

"Watch where your damn-"

The boy paused; he was darkly handsome, the awkward teenage years already starting to fade into devastating features. He was exactly the sort of guy that had made Darci's life hell through the last few years. A living epitome of the type of guys Darci tried to avoid now. His hair was a little too long and fell into his eyes, but they glared out from beneath, a deep piercing, stormy gray which examined her thoroughly for a long moment then met her eyes again with an incomprehensible look, it was quickly covered with arrogant superiority. Another boy came up behind him and frowned at him.

"Sirius you klutz, you can't just push women over. I'm Remus, here," Remus offered Darci his hand, which earned him a sharp glare from Sirius, he didn't notice.

"I haven't seen you around and I've heard there's a new fourth year, would that be you by any chance?"

"Uh yeah I'm Darci," she was still a little shaken from the Sirius guy, who was giving her that weird look again.

"A pleasure to meet you, we'd better get going but I hope to see you in Gryffindor."

"Yeah…bye." Sirius was still staring at her; she flushed feeling slightly irritated at being forced to be embarrassed. Remus rolled his eyes and started towing his friend onto a carriage.

Darci realised everyone was almost gone and started making her way towards the other end of the train when she was completely bowled over again, this time there was something huge lying on top of her. She opened her eyes to massive pink tongue scraping across her chin. She made a noise that was half disgust, half delight.

"Roch! Get off me you great mammoth!" But she wrapped the huge St Bernard in a fierce hug as she sat up. Roch was wagging his tail so hard most of his body was going with him.

"Sorry 'bout that, he got away from me." She heard a gruff voice say as Roch was pulled off her just enough for her to get up. She looked up to find a giant standing over and beaming out her from beneath a huge beard.

"Yer must be Darci, I been lookin' all over fer you."

She took his huge hand and was hauled up for the second time that day. Hagrid shook her hand whilst he still had it.

"Well it's nice to finally be meetin' you, I been lookin' after yer pets for the last few days. Mighty fine animals they are. I'm Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds here at Hogwarts."

"Oh it's a pleasure to meet you, thankyou for looking after my pets. Are they all doing alright?"

"Yeah, they're doin' fine, just missin' you I 'spect. I figured yeh might like to have this one meet yeh, c'mon let's get you onto a boat. Yeh can come on mine if yeh'd prefer."

"Yes please, and Roch can come?"

"Rock? Good name fer him. Sure."

She followed him back to a large group of nervous looking first years.

"Alright everyone? C'mon then follow me, watch yer step!"

Hagrid headed down a dark, steep path with Darci behind him, her hand on Roch's head and the first years following in a straggling line.

"Yer all about to get yer first sight of Hogwarts castle!"

Darci, like the rest of the first years, leaned up and peered around the bend, as they came around Darci gasped. She'd seen pictures ofcourse but nothing could compare to Hogwarts real life presence. It towered over them, spires poking out at random places in a wonderfully imposing yet chaotic impression, before it stretched a massive lake like a dark obsidian. It perfectly reflected the stars and crescent moon above it.

Darci's mind was already wondering to exploring the castle and maybe taking midnight dips in the lake although it was nothing compared to the call of the ocean. The sounds of the ebb and flow of the tide, faint to anyone else, were a sweet roar in her ears, she was glad it wasn't a full moon.

They clambered down to the lake's edge where a fleet of dark boats were moored, old fashioned lanterns hung in the air in front of them. Hagrid helped all of the first years into their boats and then got into the last, slightly larger one, Darci clambered in after him and Roch happily leapt in after, propping his head on her knee.

They arrived at an underground dock a few minutes later, Darci bid farewell to her dog and Hagrid before following a stern black-haired woman named Professor McGonagall across a beautiful hall and into a small empty chamber. As they walked McGonagall explained the sorting hat and the school houses, most of which Darci had already read about.

McGonagall then left them to get ready. She was getting a fair few stares from the first years, transfers weren't common, but they were all far too nervous to say anything. Darci was always surprised that after having changed schools several times, and countries countless time that she could still feel nervous about meeting new people. She liked Hogwarts instinctively but it was hard not to imagine that she somehow had 'SELKIE SPAWN' painted across her forehead. She rubbed her palms against her robes and ran her fingers through her hair. Suddenly she heard a couple of first years scream, turning Darci was confronted with a stream of ghosts, she quickly stepped out of the way as they floated through the door and into the hall, talking amongst themselves. A very aristocratic looking ghost stopped as he was about to pass through the door.

"Oh, what have we here? You're not a first year, what are you doing down here my fine girl?"

"Oh I just transferred." She had a feeling that sentence was going to be the theme of the day.

"Well it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington."

He then attempted a short bow which made his head wobble alarmingly.

"It's nearly headless Nick" She heard a first year whisper behind her.

"A pleasure to meet you sir, I'm Darci Roane."

"Nicholas, are you coming?" An attractive middle aged ghost floated back through the wall.

"Ofcourse Charlotte; goodbye Ms Roane and good luck. I hope to see you in Gryffindor!" He called as he floated back through the wall.

A moment later the door was opened by Professor Mcgonagall.

"First years in a straight line please!"

She turned to Darci. "You must be Ms Roane?"

Her gaze lingered disapprovingly on Darci's nose stud and multi-coloured hair but she said nothing besides, "if you'll just follow behind the first years you'll be sorted presently."

Darci swallowed as she joined the end of the line as it filed out of the room and across the large entrance hall. Feeling nervous she discreetly plugged one of her iPod earphones into her ear and sorted through her music, she put on her new favourite song, 'Savior' by Rise Against, as McGonagall opened the huge double doors to the great hall, a few the first years gasped. The great hall was magnificent. The four house tables were intricately carved from a dark wood and polished until they glistened in the candlelight. The white candles, a mix of tapers and pillars, hung suspended in the air casting the hall in brilliant but constantly flickering light. Darci favourite part of the hall by far was the ceiling, magically enchanted the walls just seemed to melt where they hit the ceiling which showed a beautiful night sky dotted by stars and stray clouds, the crescent moon lay half concealed by clouds.

"A ghostly galleon tossed upon stormy seas…" She murmured.

They gathered next to the head table as Tim McIlrath sang to her of forgetting a woman's face.

McGonagall put a stool infront of the line of first years and on top of it placed an ancient and very patched and frayed looking wizard's hat. This must be the sorting hat, Darci realised, although it was a lot more tattered then she'd imagined.

A couple of first years jumped when a rip in the sorting hat's brim opened up and the hat began to sing.

"Once in a strife-filled time,

Four wizards sought refuge from crime,

Lost in a dark place, their enemies soon to face,

Each sought to build a home,

A sanctum to call their own,

But when met with the downcast,

The young ghosts of their past,

They looked to each other and said,

"We'll build a place where all are fed!"

A house for each where we can teach,

Each young gem, a world of magic and mayhem.

Slytherin claimed a house of ambition and stealth,

Ravenclaw held knowledge be her houses' wealth,

Hufflepuff kept herself with the humble and kind,

And with the stout of heart and soul brave Gryffindor aligned,

So put me on and take this seat,

But remember those who built the floor beneath your feet!"

Darci applauded with the rest of the students as the sorting hat finished its' song, the sorting hat bowed to each of the tables and fell silent again. McGonagall stepped forward with a list and began calling out names. One by one the mass of first years was called forward to put on the hat and be sorted into a house. The sorting lasted long enough that Darci got through three more Rise Against songs, two Apocalyptica songs and had returned to her favourite band Muse, by the time Patrick Zane nervously sat the hat on her head. Darci pulled out her earphone and stuffed it in her robe pocket just in time to applaud Patrick on being sorted into Hufflepuff.

"We also have a fourth year transfer, Miss Darci Roane."

This was greeted with a couple of murmurs and a loud wolf whistle from the Slytherin table. Darci blushed; she was going to murder Zee.

She took up the hat placed it on her head, feeling awkward and naked sitting infrontof so many people, all of them staring at her.

"Hmm, well what have we here." Darci almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the hat's voice in her ear, "a nice mind, determined but private, good for Slytherin but certainly keen enough for Ravenclaw. That kind of spirit though will thrive best in GRYFFINDOR!"

Darci grinned and took off the hat as she was greeted with applause from the Gryffindor table.

She spotted Lily waving at her about halfway down the table and made her way to her.

"I saved you a spot hoping you'd end up here, this is so great! You're in Gryff with me."

Lily gave her a hug as Darci sat down.

"Hey we've got a new roommate? Introduce me!" An excitable, a little high pitched voice called from Lily's other side. Lily leaned back a little so Darci could see the petite girl on her other side.

"Darci this is my roommate Amibelle, Ami this is my new friend Darci we met on the train. We've got the only open dorm so you'll be in with us."

Ami was tiny really with perfect platinum blonde curls held in pigtails and huge baby blue eyes. She had an adorable sprinkling of freckles of across the bridge of her nose.

Ami gave her a full smile. "Yay! You're so cute too!" Darci chuckled, she hadn't been called cute since she was six, and to be called it by a real life anime chibi was more then amusing.

"I think you've got something in your hair, dyke."

Darci turned and flipped off the strawberry blonde fifth year who was giving her a look of violent disgust.

"Hey Jesse you homophobic fuckwit I think I saw your balls in the entrance hall."

Jesse turned a pale colour and stared hard at his plate, Darci turned to see Zee glaring at him.

"Zee! What're you doing over here?"

She took the empty seat on Darci's other side, "wasn't going to let the Gryffs have you all to themselves, congrats on getting into Gryffindor anyway and I can honestly say most of them aren't as big a dicks as Jesse Butler over there, except the marauders ofcourse." Zeenodded towards the spot across from Lily. Darci turned to see an attractive tall boy with glasses and messy black hair sitting directly across from her. Darci's eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw who he was talking to, it was Sirius the arrogant boy she'd ran into and on his other side was Remus talking to a short, chubby boy. Surely polite Remus wasn't a marauder, she didn't have time to ask though as Dumbledore in all his silver haired glory was stepping up to speak. The hall of students hushed to listen as Dumbledore waited patiently but Darci was distracted as he started to speak, Sirius had turned and caught her staring. She'd blushed and turned away but when she'd turned back he was still staring, giving her that weird look again.

She bit her bottom lip and tried to force herself to look away, caught momentarily. She was saved by the arrival of food, she looked around in delight at the platters of food. She was surprised and relieved to discover that all of the food in her near vicinity was vegetarian and marvelled at how they'd known.

Around her were piles of chips and mashed potatoes, jasmine rice, mock chicken and fish dishes, a salad, two soups and a huge dish of vegetable lasagne. She started helping herself to the food as Ami and Zee started to get to know each other, Zee seemed to object to being called 'vampy care bear' and before Darci had reached for her second dish Zee was swearing she was going to punk Ami out before the end of the year. Lily chatted to her about the different aspects of life at Hogwarts as they filled their glistening, gold plates. Darci piled hers with a large serving of lasagne, some mock chicken, some rice, a small pile of chips with some sweet and sour sauce she found in one of the little pots in the middle of the table and finally poured herself some tomato soup. Darci had a huge appetite, luckily teamed with an excellent metabolism, and she had only had a few sweets and chocolates for lunch.

The three other girls made for interesting dinner company as Darci worked her way through her huge meal. Ami was almost as extroverted as Zee and the two already argued like an old married couple whilst Darci and Lily hatched plans for the exploration of various parts of Hogwarts. Lily had a passion for exploring too and just hearing her explain the different parts of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade made Darci excited to survey the mystical area.

Darci and Lily were talking about different methods of finding unicorns in the forbidden forest when Ami interjected to tell them that she adored unicorns and demanded to come along.

"We'll all go," said Lily, chuckling at Ami's starry, unicorn-induced expression, "it'll be safer that way anyhow."

"You like unicorns? Then you might like my Granian Kara."

Zeeinterrupted Ami's barrage of hyper excited questions, "if you guys like exploring you should come check out the Slytherin Common Room and dormitories I bet you've never seen them and I've never seen the Gryffindor's."

"Oh that'd be great! We could all dress up sometime and pretend to be in Slytherin for a day and you could be in Gryffindor for a day."

"Sounds like a date."

Darci scraped up the last of her lasagne and leaned back contentedly, she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this good. She gazed around as her friends talked about spelling their robes different colours, her own robes and cloak had come with a spell that allowed them to stay black and then choose the colour of the lining at a later time. An ingenious spell by Madam Malkin, Darci had thought, and one that was usually only needed by first years.

Her eyes wondered over to the Marauders again, the boy with glasses was staring wistfully at Lily whilst Remus and Sirius chatted and the tubby boy on Remus' other side gnawed on a chicken leg. He set it down a second later when all of the rest of the food disappeared and was replaced with delicious desserts.

"Dessert!" Darci was surprised she could even hear the high pitched squeal emitted by Ami but she could empathise with the sentiment. Dozens of plates piled high with all kinds of cakes, pies, and tarts, bowls overflowing with candy and filled with steaming hot chocolate, platters of warm cookies, brownies and fudge and a huge display of candy apples as a table centrepiece.

Whilst Ami tried to pile a piece of every kind of cake she could see onto her plate, Darci chose a slice of lemon cheesecake, a piece of chocolate fudge and a fruit tartlet. She finished them all off as Lily and Zee discussed spots they knew and had heard of in the forbidden forest and Ami ignored them all whilst she attempted, what Darci could only assume, was an endeavour to rid Hogwarts of desserts.

Darci poured herself a cup of mug of hot chocolate so thick it was barely legal and garnished it with a large dob of whipped cream and two cinnamon sticks.

She sipped on the warm beverage as she contemplated her future at Hogwarts.

"Aww look Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber have synchronised their hard-ons."

Zee's voice startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Sirius staring at her, she quickly looked away in time to catch his messy-haired friend looking away from Lily.

"Maybe someone hasn't informed you yet," Sirius spoke to her without looking at Zee, "Gryffindors don't associate with Slytherin scum."

"Oh Black of name and soul you wound me." Sarcasm laced Zee's voice.

"Black? Sirius Black?"

"That's right I thought your name sounded familiar, your grandparents are the Roanes aren't they? I haven't seen you around their parties much."

"I don't attend much. So aren't Gryffindorsmeant to be loyal and fair? How did a Black manage to wrangle a way into that one? Spying on the enemy?"

His eyes darkened, his nostrils flared and his jaw locked. She'd hit a nerve. She hadn't meant to go that far but already felt protective of her new friends and her memories of the Blacks were less then pleasant. She opened her mouth, not to apologise but to atleast say something conciliatory but was interrupted.

"Oh like your one to speak. I hear all the Roanes are just as cold and cruel as their ancestors."

Darci felt the blood drain out of her face.

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean Black?" Zeesnapped at him. This was just what Darci had been afraid of, her ancestors story would spread like wild fire and soon the snide comments and superior looks would start again.

"You know what? I think I'm full. One of you want to show me where the common room is?"

"Sure, come on let's get away from these mean liars." Ami stood up leaving the rest of her pile of cakes.

"Yeah you can show me too," Zee said as she stood up with Lily who draped an arm around Darci's shoulders.

"You can't show a Slyth-"

"Go fuck yourself Potter." Darci was surprised to hear this from Lily. She followed them up a series of staircases and twists and turns that she tried to memorise.

"Don't worry about the Marauders their assholes to anyone who isn't blonde and throwing themselves at them." Zee told her as they walked with Ami leading the way.

"Hey! Don't stereotype blondes." Ami huffed.

"Personally I think Black is being particularly an asshole because he's developed a little crush on you, which, if he acts anything like the way Potter does, is really bad news."

"Potter's had a crush on Lily since first year, the entire school knows." Ami sang from in front.

"Oh gee, thanks guys." Lily muttered sarcastically.

They had reached a huge portrait in a gilt gold frame of a woman wearing a slightly-too small pink, silk dress.

"Password?" She enquired archly.

"Terra firma." Lily replied.

"Wicked," Zee muttered as they clambered through the portrait hole.

Darci loved the common room. It was large with a high ceiling but retained a cosy feel. The glossy, dark wood floor was covered in rugs of two kinds – the thick, cream-gold Aubusson-style rug she was currently on and smaller, even thicker red, plush rugs that were piled at random spots on top of the cream. Comfy red chairs of various size and shape floated around the room, gathered in circles, around the fire and pushed into corners. The fireplaces were magnificent; there was a central one that would no doubt come up to Darci's shoulders and two more at opposing corners. Huge windows on one side were still flung open and Darci could smell the fresh, salty sea air coming in. Several older students were lounging around, reading and chatting but they paid the group little heed.

"C'mon, you have to come and see our dorm room!" Ami exclaimed excitedly.

Zee and Darci followed them up a spiral staircase as Lily explained that they shared with three other Gryffindor girls but that they had a different bathroom.

"Yeah they're a bit stuck up," Ami explained.

"Marauder worshippers," Lily chipped in, rolling her eyes, "but we mostly just ignore each other."

"And vice versa," Lily continued, "although Marissa snores, you'll get used to it though."

They arrived at a solid wood door with a small gold plaque labelling it GG4 – 2, Ami latched onto the glass door knob and pulled it open. The large room was warmly lit; taking up most of the room was the six, huge four-poster beds, each of which had two bedside tables. At the opposite end of the round room was a fireplace with a cream sofa set around it and more of those plush red rugs. The room was otherwise empty except for the trunks; Darci noticed her own trunk at the foot of one of the beds and then gasped as she realised four very annoyed looking pets were staring at her from their cages, except duke who was still asleep. She let the others and left Duke's cage door open as Ami exclaimed over how adorable the cute kitties were. She was currently hugging a happy Miss Chief and had been allowed to tentatively pat a grumpy King Sol. Darci set out their food bowls in a corner of the room and filled them up, this earned her the forgiveness of King Sol who all but inhaled his food and then ate most of Miss's as well, Miss was a finicky eater. This done Darci went to investigate her bed. The huge bed was modeof solid oak and had carved posts, a throwback to an earlier era, and was set with thick velvet red curtains and a deliciously comfy looking bedding of red and gold, piled high with cushions and pillows just the way she liked it. Zee dove backwards onto the bed lying down with her hands behind her head.

"You gotta love Hogwarts."

Darci grinned and nodded, but it was the positioning of her bed that she liked the best; right next to it, between her's and the next bed which Lily said was hers, was a large window with a comfy velvet window seat and an unsurpassed view of the ocean.

On her bed's other side was a small wood door. She opened it and discovered a decently sized balcony.

"This is perfect," she said, leaning back inside, "I can grow potted plants out here."

"Yep and our bathroom is the one on the right over there." Ami said, gesturing to the two doors on the far side of the room.

Darci poked her head in to find a decent sized bathroom paved in white, it had a large mirror with a couple of red stools at one end, a claw-footed tub and a show stall at the other end, a wall separated the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.

"Alright guys I'm pooped and I've still got to walk all the way back to the Slytherin dorms so it's over and out for me."

"Alright Zee see you tomorrow."

"Sweet dreams Zee."

"Night night Zee Zee."

"Zee Zee?" Zee gave Ami one arched eyebrow.

"You know like sleeping? No? How 'bout Zigzag? Zapster?"

Zee gave her an unamused look, Ami pouted and flushed.

"Zee isn't a nickname it's a letter!"

Zee chuckled, "alright 'night all, Darci don't worry about a thing you're mine now and no one messes with me or mine. That goes for all of you actually."

Zee yawned and made her way out as the rest of them waved good nights.

A couple minutes later three girls came in chatting to each other; Lily and Darci were lounging on her bed whilst Ami sorted through her trunk. Darci had an incredibly heavy King stretched across her chest purring like a broken lawn mower and Lily was playing with Miss.

The three of them ignored the others, went over and started readying for bed.

Lily yawned, "alright well it's been a big day I think I'm off to bed you can pull that curtain across," Lily pointed to curtains against the wall that Darci hadn't noticed, she realised they ran along rails on the ceiling so that you could section the room off, "and keep your lights on after everyone else has gone to bed if you want."

"Nah I'm pretty knackered too."

Valiant landed on the windowsill and looked at Darci with wide yellow eyes.

Darci stroked her head before fetching her glow in the dark 'come to the dark side – we have cookies' singlet and pants PJs. She changed and slipped into her bed, Miss jumped up straight away and curled herself next to Darci's head whilst King jumped up and nudged himself just under her chin; the chorus of purring lulled her. She smiled a little when saw Valiant settle down on top of her cage next to Darci's bed. 'My fierce protector' was her last though as she drifted into sleep.

Darci shot out of bed, her heart pounding and feeling hot and cold all over. She tried to calm herself down but craving prickled in her skin like an itch she couldn't quite reach. She ground her teeth together as the tide beat in her ears, the sound so loud it sounded as if the waves were breaking on her skull. It was no use, she'd have to go. Grabbing a towel and one-piece from her trunk she paused, now that she had made the decision the tide of sound receded and her freakishly good hearing returned. Five sets of even breathing, everyone was asleep.

She snuck out the door and crept down the steps, trying to remember the turns she'd taken as she climbed out the portrait hole and prayed she didn't get lost.

She got lost twice before she found her way out of Hogwarts. She had snuck out a door after changing in an empty classroom and found herself directly across from the lake. She paused as she was about to turn and find her way down to the ocean. She had heard there were mermaids in the Hogwarts lake, ofcourse she'd assumed it was probably just a rumour but still…She turned back and headed to the lake's shore, she dipped a toe in the water and shivered in delight. Not quite as good as the ocean but still delicious, like the first coffee of the day for a caffeine addict. She dropped her clothes and towel and waded in up to her waist, taking a deep breath she dived beneath the surface

Darci needed to swim on full moons, preferably naked and in the ocean although she could manage clothed and in a natural water resource such as a lake or river. The single time she'd once been miles from the sea on a full moon Ian had found her delirious and only semi-conscious conscious wandering deep in the Black Forest.

When she swam on full moons she underwent small changes, her hair grew long, longer then she'd ever naturally managed to grow it and changed back to it's original black. Her eyes became black except for specks of their original colour, her skin turned even paler and became tinged with blue and her fingers and toes became webbed between the middle knuckles. Attractive right? She had no doubt that should her new friends see her then that, despite how kind they were, there would be a whole lot of screams of "kill it! Kill it now!" Ok maybe that was exaggerating a little but she had a whole lot more sympathy for bugs and spiders now.

It was only really necessary that she swim on full moons but the craving was always there, more apparent at night. She often had dreams and woke up with no memory of them but with a desperate need to swim, like tonight. She floated in the water slowly making her way to the centre of the lake and dipping under every few seconds. The lake water, fairly warm from the day's sun was an ideal medium to play in; she luxuriated in the feel of the slight pressure against her skin as she slipped in and out. The cloth irritated a little as it always did but there was so little of it on the backless, deep V-neck, black one-piece that it didn't bother her too much. Darci was usually a little shy, even after her great rebellion last year and usually stuck with quite modest swimsuits, she had intended to wear a shirt and shorts over this when she went swimming but it worked well when she was swimming on her own. She didn't swim nude except on full moons since the Durmstrang incident.

As she passed over the middle of the lake she looked down into its' murky depths and felt a familiar stir of curiosity, she cast one last look at Hogwarts dark silhouette before taking a deep breath and plunging beneath the surface.

She pushed deep into the darkness for a few minutes without seeing anything. As a child living by the ocean she'd experimented endlessly, seeing how long she could hold her breath for, both on a full moon and normally. She'd sit on coral reefs and at the bottom of large rock pools watching the fish until her head swum and her mother worried herself sick. She remembered when she was young she could hold her breath for a full hour on a full moon and almost half an hour on a normal day. It had been a long time since she'd timed herself and she was hoping she could hold her breath for a little longer now as it looked as if she might need it if she was really going to explore this mermaid rumour.

Lost in her thoughts Darci was struck by the sight of the expanse of thick green weeds growing densely over the lake floor and swaying gently like tall grass in a spring breeze. As she passed over it the weeds gave way to a sand bank where she could see something glimmering. Swimming closer she was amazed to see stones lay half buried in the sand looking like jewels imbedded in a dark metal, they shone even in the thick darkness seeming to almost radiate their own glow. Picking two up she clutched them in her fist and decided to travel just a little further before turning back, she was beginning to feel a dull pressure in her chest that suggested her oxygen supply was running low. She turned to look up and see if she could spot any sign of the surface, however unlikely this far down when a flurry of movement caught her eye. Darci managed to push herself fast enough to avoid the razor sharp fangs of the grindylow that snapped where her ankle had been a moment ago. Darci shot through the water as fast as she could her eyes glued to the small water demon still followed her, its' long fingers occasionally snapping out. She was still looking back when she bumped into something, her arms were suddenly seized. Darci bit down a yelp as she swung her head around to be confronted by the fierce face of what Darci had to assume was one of Hogwarts merpeople. Her long hair was wild and a dark green and she had yellow eyes that glared out of her greyish skin. Her eyes turned to the Grindylow that had caught up to her. "Shark! Home!"

Darci tried to speak as the merwoman (mermaid sounded a little too soft for this fierce creature) dragged her deeper into the water. Darci tried to talk but all that came out was a burst of bubbles and a gargle. The ache in her chest had turned to a fierce burn and she knew if she didn't get away soon there would be no time to reach the surface. Suddenly they were no longer alone, glancing past the merwoman's shoulder Darci spotted a larger rock painting of what looked like a group of merpeople carrying spears and chasing a giant squid, around them merpeople floated, distrustful looks on their faces. Turning back Darci was confronted with another of these people, he was speaking to the one who had grabbed her but now turned to her.

"What business do you have here?" Despite the musical tone of voice the large merman looked at her with yellow eyes filled with anger and jabbed a sharp trident beneath her jaw, not waiting for her to answer he continued. "Leave this place, do not ever return to our village or we will spill your blood _seawitch_." The last word was hissed and was followed by similar sounds from those around her. Darci nodded vigorously, desperately in need of air now, her head beginning to swim. The man swam towards her and violently pushed her away. Darci took the opportunity to kick of hard from the ground, shooting like an arrow upwards she swam harder then she ever had but even as the water seemed to lighten, her vision started to fade. Just as she felt unconsciousness tug her under like so many pulling hands she broached the surface, pulling the air she so needed into her lungs and forcing her brain back to wakefulness. She floated on the surface, dazed and gasping, her lungs still burning and her limbs like dead-weights. She gave an almost hysterical laugh of relief to be back on the surface and in one piece. Mentally checking herself over for anything besides aches from the exertion she realised her knuckles hurt, opening her fist she was amazed to see she had been clutching the stones she'd found. She stretched out her fingers and examined the stones, surprised she hadn't dropped them in her desperate plough for the surface. Holding them up to the moonlight she was amazed to see they were opals, not the thousand-hued colour of truly precious opals but attractive none the less. They were a milky light blue, both had strains of a deep vibrant blue and bright neon green but the smaller one also showed specks of a brilliant violet. She decided she liked that one better and thought she might give the other to one of her friends, Lily maybe, she seemed to like green.

As she slowly made her way back to the castle Darci mulled over her encounter with the merpeople of Hogwarts' Lake but her mind was too heavy and exhausted to make much sense of the whole event. Deciding to make sense of it in the morning, she eventually dragged herself out of the lake and dried off. Quickly changing back into her pyjamas her mind turned to the next day and she winced, morning couldn't be more then a couple of hours off.

Sirius sat in the common room and watched silently from the dark depths of his favourite armchair as the new girl clambered through the portrait hole, her short hair wet and clinging to her face, a damp towel clutched in her arms. Sirius glanced at the watch he'd brought down with him; it was nearing a quarter past three in the morning. He had come down to the common room after he had woken from nightmares and been unable to sleep, he'd decided a weighty tome recounting the history of goblin warfare in comparison to human warfare read in his favourite chair would be enough to send him back to sleep. He'd been getting drowsy when Darci had climbed through. He shook his head as she disappeared up the steps to the girls' dormitory, who on earth went swimming, by themselves, at three o'clock in the morning? He'd known there was something wrong with her from the moment he'd met her. She might have been pretty if it hadn't been for the piercings and her weird hair. Sirius struggled with himself for a moment before admitting defeat, she was still pretty despite all the weirdness, although hardly his type. She had a sort of eerie quality to her beauty with her too pale skin and large, oddly multi-coloured eyes. Sirius thought he might have had a go at her even with the goth look, freak friends and spiked piercings if it hadn't been for that comment in the great hall and he was sick of her friend Lily leading James along like a lost puppy. Ok well that might not quite be true but would it really do Lily any harm to give his best friend a chance? And as for the Slytherin chick, she madepsychosis an art form. There was something wrong with this new girl too, she had appeared fairly normal on the surface despite her appearance but Sirius' instincts had gotten him out of many bad situationsand now they told him that something was amiss here. He had a feeling this Darci was hiding more then her share of skeletons in her closet and he had every intention of unearthing them.

* * *

**AN: Yeah I can't believe that was just one day either, it's almost seventeen A4 pages. Anywhoser if your interested I also obsessively collect pics of things I write about from characters to food to clothes and jewelry the link to where you can see them is on my profile soooo... REVIEW! I COMMAND YOU!...Please.**


	2. A Band of Brigands

**Chapter 2: A Band of Brigands**

_"You're a hard act to follow,_

_Such a fine looking fellow._

_I hear your belly's yellow,_

_You're a hard act to swallow."_

Darci awoke to being jolted around; she sat up suddenly and groaned in pain. Every muscle in her body protested movement of any kind, her lungs and throat still felt raw from their little underwater excursion and she could feel dried silt from the muddy water crusted over her skin and hair.

"Wow," Two wide blue eyes stared into hers, "you don't look like a happy cupcake."

"Ami's right you look like crap Darci, are you feeling alright?" Lily toned in from somewhere behind Ami.

Darci briefly considered faking sick and playing hooky today but it was her first day at Hogwarts and she didn't really think that would be such a good way to start the term.

"Nah just tired." It came out as a barely legible croak.

"Alright pretty pie but you'd better get up soon or you'll be late for brekky!" Darci looked around to see that the dorm was already empty and Ami and Lily were ready to go.

"Alright go on you guys I'll meet you down there."

"You remember the way?" Lily asked as she and Ami made their way to the door and Darci hauled her aching body out of bed.

"Yeah I remember it from last night, see you guys in five."

Darci hauled herself into the shower and scrubbed furiously, washing her hair twice and got out in record time. She quickly got dressed in a short, black skirt and tank top and pulled her Hogwarts shirt, tie and robes on over the top; she activated the colour charm, scrubbed her teeth and finally gathered the courage to take a look at her reflection. She was immediately tempted to crawl right back into bed, she looked like the living dead but where as Zee pulled that off as vampire chic, this looked more like something you'd expect to find floating in the Bronx river. Her colour charm was wearing off turning her hair a murky grey colour, her skin was sallow, her eyes red-rimmed and she had dark circles beneath each. Wincing she changed her hair a vibrant red and lined her eyes, threw on her dog tags and two rings, deciding on a more mild look for a good impression. No doubt if she actually managed to succeed that impression would be shattered at the first opportunity, nevertheless there was no harm in trying. She checked her pocket watch – it was 20 to nine; she pulled on her socks and some buckled ankle boots, grabbed her pre-packed messenger bag (thank Merlin for bored paranoia) and headed out, letting the cats out as she left. She had to double back twice before she found her way down to the Entrance Hall just in time to hear the chime of the Hogwarts bells ringing loudly throughout the hall. Students gushed from the open doors to the Great Hall, pushing past her as they made their way to their classes.

"Oi! Darci!"

Darci turned to spot Zee reclining against the wall next to the Great Hall's doors, Ami and Lily at her side. Darci made her way over.

"Hey, you arrive at last. We didn't think you'd make it down in time so we got your timetable for you," Lily said handing her the sheet of card.

Darci took the timetable off her as Zee started talking.

"Yeah sorry but we also checked it. You're pretty lucky; you've got one of your only free periods now but these guys have Divination and I've got Arithmancy so adios amigas!"

"Yeah sorry we can't show you around yet and you're in a different Herbology class to us but Greenhouse Two is pretty easy to find. Just head out that door," Lily pointed to a door on the far wall, "and head to the end of the corridor, follow the path across and then it's the one on the far left."

Darci nodded. "Alright you guys had better be off, see you in-" she looked down at her timetable, "History of Magic."

"Yeppers, it's on the fourth floor in the South West Wing, to the right of the main staircase, miss you already cupcake."

She gave Ami a pat on the head as she was hugged around the middle before Lily and Ami hurried off to class.

Examining her timetable as she headed into the Great Hall, Darci decided it seemed fairly manageable although her other courses would complicate her study time.

Darci had liked some of the courses she'd taken at her last school, Salem Witches Institute, enough to arrange to do them via distance education when she left. So in addition to Herbology, History of Magic, Ancient Runes, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Astronomy, she was taking a General Creative Arts in Magic course and a Mystic Remedies course.

Darci was disappointed to discover the Great hall empty and clean of any sign of food. Her stomach growling in protest she turned her mind to other matters. She headed through a pair of large doors off the Entrance Hall trying to think where Hagrid's Hut might be. Taking a wild guess she headed around the right side of the castle, walking past the greenhouse she spotted a Quidditch field and looking around to her other side an expansive, gloomy forest. Hagrid's hut huddled nearby a few minutes walk away from her, the trees of the forest looming next to it. She made her way down and spotted Hagrid carrying a great pile of chopped wood.

"Hagrid!"

Hagrid put the logs down next to his hut. Shading his eyes from the sun he squinted out at her as she came down the hill.

"Darci?"

"Hey Hagrid, came to see how the zoo's doing."

"Oh yeah they're fine, yeh can take a look yourself but I let the horses out to stretch their legs so yeh might hav'ta wait fer 'em. Shouldn' you be in class?"

"Nah, I've got a free period."

"Alright yer pets are 'round the back."

She poked her head around the edge and spotted Roch snoozing next to a pen obviously meant to hold her miniature goat Mandela. Mandela was inside playing with her Springer Spaniel, Cat.

Cat spotted her first and leapt over the small fence, throwing himself at her legs and panting happily, Roch was quickly after him and would have bowled her over again had she not dodged him at the last moment, Mandela bleated plaintively at his fence.

"Roch no! Down, sit Cat!"

Luckily Cat was a tad more obedient then his namesake. When they were both sitting she let Mandela out of his pen and knelt down, petting and babying each of them shamelessly.

Hagrid came around a few minutes later, beaming at them he gave Mandela a pat on the head.

"It's no use keeping him locked up," Darci informed him, "he's named Mandela because Nelson Mandela didn't eat for the freedom of his people whilst this Mandela eats everything for his own freedom. See?"

Darci pointed out a clearly chewed on gap in the fence.

Hagrid chuckled as he leant down to examine the chewed fence.

"Hungry blighter inn't he?

"Yeah, you can just let him wonder around with the others. Roch likes to play mama bear to them so he'll keep them out of too much trouble."

It was a shame she hadn't read Peter Pan when she got him or she would have named him Nana. Roch had been given to her by her uncle Ian for her sixth birthday, a round ball of fur that had driven her mother crazy but that Darci knew she'd secretly loved to pieces. Darci had named him after a portrait she'd seen at her local church of a saint with a dog vaguely resembling hers next to him. Cat she had adopted from an animal shelter when she was ten and her uncle was working in Colorado. She had visited the shelter every day, delighted by the spotted puppy with huge paws that had seemed to have his nose in everything, hence the name as he was curious as a cat.

Mandela she picked up from West Africa at the beginning of the year. He had been planned as an animal sacrifice and had been determinedly chewing through his thick, rope tether when a local had pointed him out to Darci and explained what he was for. Darci had waited patiently until they had left then untied him, let him out of his pen and lured him over by giving him the apple she'd planned for lunch. He'd happily followed her home after that.

Darci stood up and wiped her hands on her robes. Looking out across the field she spotted Kelpie and above him Kara, blending in well against the clouds. Both had been gifts from Ian, a great motto when it came to gifts for Darci was when in doubt, pets. Kelpie had been given to her as a start-of-term gift when she had been going away to Beauxbatons as a first year. He was a lovely piebald Friesian Sporthorse gelding. Horse riding had been an elective at Beauxbatons so she hadn't had a problem keeping him there. He was well-mannered now at four and a half years old but when she had gotten him he'd been a spirited yearling that had been determined to go where he wanted, when he wanted and as fast as he wanted, which turned out to be at break neck speed. Kara on the other hand was exactly like that now at just over a year old, the dappled grey Granian was very flighty (no pun intended) and had been given to her, a tiny orphan filly by Ian at the beginning of third year in an attempt to cheer her up.

Darci gave a long, sharp whistle and watched as they both raced towards her. She took a couple of steps back as Kara winged her way down, skidding to a halt just in front of Darci, Kelpie arrived a moment later. Darci fed them apples Hagrid had given to her.

"You wan' ter take one of 'em fer a ride?"

"No if I do there's no way I won't be late for herbology. I'll come back this afternoon and take them for a ride, besides I really want to find where the library is before the end of my free period."

"Oh righ', I been there a time or two meself, 's on the fourth floor if I remember righ.'"

"Thanks Hagrid," Darci waved goodbye, feeling a lot better as she made her way back up to the castle.

The library had sounded easy enough to find but Darci soon discovered the fun array of endlessly confusing staircases. She almost fell through an invisible step, climbed halfway down a staircase that appeared to be going upstairs but was actually going down and had the staircases move destinations twice on her before she eventually stumbled through the wide entrance doors to the library. She was greeted with two stern, disapproving expressions, the librarians name tags both read Madame Pince. Darci amused herself for a moment imagining their family dinners before moving her attention to the library. It was a booklover's wet dream, thousands upon thousands of books, from shiny paper backs to dusty old tomes. Darci made way around the shelves, familiarising herself with the layout and ordering system as she picked random books of the shelves. She found an interesting one on growing witch-flowers (orchids that lick your face, fire-breathing snap dragons) and another on tricks to teach your Pegasi. She was working her way around the astronomy section looking for books that might be good for study when her leg hit something soft and warm. She yelped in surprise, whipping her head around she was confronted with large amber-brown eyes covered with reading glasses.

"Oh sorry I didn't see you there; you scared the living daylights out of me." She smiled at the girl sitting on the floor who looked to be around the same age. The girl gave a timid smile back; she had long, wavy brown hair that was pulled back in a messy and overflowing bun. Her hair was the exact same shade as her eyes; her skin was just a shade lighter then both giving an odd uniformity to her looks. She might have been quite pretty had she not been drowning in Ravenclaw robes at least two sizes too large for her.

"I'm Darci, I'm new around here are you a fourth year as well?"

The girl shook Darci's hand and nodded.

"What's your name?" When the girl didn't answer Darci frowned.

"Habla usted ingles? Parlez-vous angl-" She stopped when the girl began to sign with her hands. "Ohhh."

'You're deaf?' Darci signed, the girl shook her head but seemed excited that Darci knew BSL.

'No I'm just mute. Why do you know sign language?"

Darci dropped her hands and answered out loud, sliding down to sit next to the girl.

"My uncle's a translator, sign language was one of the first he ever taught me. So your name is?"

The girl blushed, 'sorry. It's Violet.'

"Nice, can I call you Vi?" Violet nodded in ascent. "Alright if you don't mind me asking, how can you be mute? I would have thought St. Mungo's would have been able to fix that."

'My mother was experimenting with a paralytic potion for the Ministry when I was about five unfortunately it resembled chocolate milk so when I snuck into her lab and tried a sip, it paralysed my throat muscles. St Mungo's managed to get them working again but my vocal cords were damaged beyond repair."

"Ouch, that's some hell kind of chocolate milk you had."

Vi grinned a bit wider this time.

"Hey are you a fourth year?" Vi nodded. "Are you in Greenhouse 2 next period?" She shook her head. Darci sighed, "damn, oh well you should come and sit with me and my friends at lunch then we should be over at the Gryffindor table."

The bell rang a moment later and Darci borrowed her books and stuffed them into her over-full bag as she hurried to Herbology.

The Greenhouse was an interesting place, sunlight filtered through the glass ceilings and down onto a variety of odd looking plants that occasionally rustled ominously. Down the centre table pots of red geraniums were unobtrusively lined up next to a large bin, peering in Darci saw it was filled with packets of blood. A chubby boy Darci remembered seeing with the Marauders reached a finger out nervously towards one of the vivid flowers, Darci yanked it back as a pair of fangs emerged from the centre of the plant and snapped at his fingers.

"They're fanged, you might want to avoid touching them."

The boy snatched his hand back from her and glared at her, his cheeks flushed pink as he muttered something about how he'd known that.

"Dibs on you." A bland voice from her other side proclaimed, she turned to see a really quite tiny Ravenclaw girl staring at her. She looked to be of Indian origin, she had coffee coloured skin, hazel eyes and a bored expression.

"It's either you or that one," she pointed across the table at a blonde girl Darci recognised as one of the other girls that shared her dorm, "and she just asked if we would be studying caterpillars in Herbology this year."

Darci's lips twitched at the disgusted look on her new partners face.

"I'm Lena by the way, you're Darci right? I saw you get sorted last night."

Darci didn't have time to reply as Professor Sprout called for their attention. Professor Sprout was a relatively young teacher; she was stoutly built and had frizzy hair that poked out from under her pointed hat.

"Right, today, students, we will be studying fanged geraniums. Can anyone tell me one use for fanged geraniums?"

Darci and Lena both raised their hands along with two or three other students.

"Yes you." She pointed to Darci.

"Fanged Geranium's leaves can be used in blood clotting potions."

"Quite right, five points for Gryffindor. Fanged Geraniums are one of the most useful plants to healers. Now normally Geraniums need sunlight, soil and small insects but can anyone tell me what these ones need to substitute their diet with occasionally?"

Lena and Darci both raised their hands again.

"Alright Lena tell me."

"Fanged Geraniums occasionally require human blood, about once a year should do it."

"Five for Ravenclaw and it's a good thing they only need it occasionally too. So that's our goal today, if you'd all pair up and get a plant and a 100mL packet of blood from the bin we can get started. Don't forget your gloves!"

"Great," Lena murmured hoarsely.

"Are you alright?" Darci asked as she donned her gloves and dragged one of the pots over, being careful to only hold it at the bottom so as to avoid the snapping fangs.

"I ah…don't like blood."

"Oh…well uh I can probably manage if you want to sit this one out."

"No, no I'm going to be a healer one day I need to get over it."

Lena reached into the bin and picked up one of the small blood bags with a look of strong distaste.

"Just hold it infront of one of the flowers and drop it when the fangs pop out." Sprout instructed from the front of the classroom.

Lena dangled the blood packet directly in front of one of the blossoms, Darci was just thinking that it might be a tad too close when the geraniums fangs popped out so quickly they snapped straight into the packet, the packet exploded with a loud pop. Lena shrieked.

"Great." Darci muttered as she examined her newly decorated robes.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry; oh wow there's so much blood…" Lena trailed off turning an unhealthy shade of green. Luckily Lena didn't throw up all over Darci, although Professor Sprout made her sit down for a few minutes. Darci stripped down to her skirt and singlet, glad it was a warm day.

Darci decided against stopping off at the Gryffindor dorms after Herbology, figuring it would take her long enough to find her History of Magic classroom as it was and it would be better to show up slightly out of uniform with an explanation then twenty minutes late for her first class for the subject.

It was a good thing that she did as like most of the instructions to places in Hogwarts, her History of Magic class was easier explained then found. By god this place needed a map. As it turned out her teacher didn't even notice the dress code violation, he looked a little preoccupied planning his suicide. Professor Desponét was a thin balding man that reminded Darci strongly of the type of lawyers you see in cartoons, he also looked like he'd like nothing better then to throw himself out of the fourth story window. In fact he spent most of the time staring out the window as he recited date after date. Darci and Lily half heartedly took notes while Zee drew patterns that resembled henna on Darci's arm and then spelled them to give them a slight illusion of movement and Ami colour coded their timetables.

Lily offered to lend Darci her robe which Darci declined, it's be too short anyway and besides then Lily would be without one.

"I'd offer you mine but then I wouldn't get to admire the view." Zee joked winking at Darci.

"I met a couple of Ravenclaws during Herbology and my free, I hope you guys don't mind that I invited them to sit with us."

"That's fine," Lily smiled but Zee grumbled, half annoyed. "More people? We really shouldn't leave you alone you collect people like you collect animals."

The rest of the class passed unremarkably and Darci was glad when the bell for morning tea rang, she was starving.

Sirius watched Darci hurry over to the Gryffindor table her attention completely set on the food. She seemed completely oblivious to the small stir she'd caused, male eyes drawn to the long lean legs revealed be her skirt and the small curves the singlet hugged. She was trailed by a small Ravenclaw girl who seemed to be apologising profusely, Sirius quickly caught onto the topic of conversation.

"I heard vampires are suppose to drink blood not spill it all over themselves, having a bad day Roane?"

"Worse every moment you're here, Black and should you really be making accusations about clumsiness seeing how we met?"

Sirius leaned back enjoying the flush of anger that tinted her cheeks; he had been feeling oddly irritable since he'd caught that Slytherin Pratt staring at those mile-long-legs as Roane strutted back to the Gryffindor table.

"As I recall it was you who fell all over me, Roane, looking for a second try? Not that I don't appreciate the free show but you're not my type luv."

"What is you're type then Black? Wait let me guess – cute, blonde and obedient? Then buy a golden retriever asshole."

There was a bark of laughter from behind Darci as her freak friend appeared and plopped herself down next to her.

"Nice one Darci."

"No thanks I tend to stray away from bestiality. I'm not particularly fussy with my women Darci, now that you've taken an interest; mostly I prefer them not to look like they weren't dredged from the bottom of the Hogwarts Lake."

Darci froze for an instant staring at Black, he couldn't know. She was saved from answering when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

'Is it still okay if I sit with you?' Vi signed to her shyly.

"Ofcourse, sit down, everyone this is Vi she's mute but I know sign language so I'll translate."

Ami and Lena were completely ignoring her.

"By god, you are literally too stupid to insult," ((stolen from The Hangover, love that movie)) Lena accused. It seemed Lena and Ami had been violently opposed to each other for years. Lena thinking Ami was an idiot, Ami thinking Lena was stuck up, so it seemed Darci was responsible for an endless stream of high pitched bickering.

Lily gave Vi a warm smile.

"That's interesting; I suppose you'll have no trouble when we get to studying wordless spells."

"Ah more to join the gang. Seriously though I've always wanted learn sign language, you two should teach me."

Vi beamed happily which Darci was glad to see, she had a feeling it wasn't that common with Vi.

"You're mute?" Lena seemed to have just caught onto the conversation, "wow I've seen you around ofcourse but I always just thought you were just quiet."

"Alright seriously everyone shut up. I have less then ten minutes left, I'm famished and I have yet to eat a thing."

The rest of the break was spent in relative silence, relative because Ami and Lena couldn't resist snapping at each other occasionally. Black stared at her the entire time, only grinning in amusement when she flipped him off.

They had History of Magic again after that, by the end of which Darci was starting to feel suicidal herself but atleast she'd had time to grab a robe from the Gryffindor dorm.

She had Ancient Runes with Hufflepuff on the other side of the castle after that. Ancient Runes looked like a very detailed subject taught by a pleasant blonde woman, unfortunately neither Ami nor Lily took it so Darci spent a studious lesson taking notes.

Ancient Runes was followed by Potions which Darci shared with only Lily and Transfiguration with Ravenclaw. Darci was decent at both and got an invitation along with Lily and several other students to join Professor Slughorn for a little get together next week. Lily and Darci made faces at each other when he turned away. Transfiguaration was fascinating, difficult and taught by a stern woman named Professor McGonagall who was also the head of Gryffindor house. Lily shared this class with Lily, Ami, Vi and Lena but put in a strong effort to pay attention as she quite liked it.

When the last bell rang Darci could hardly believe she hadn't known the rest of the girls for most of her life, they had an easy familiarity that seemed odd considering how long they'd really known each other. They had a couple of hours until dinner so Darci took them down to Hagrid's to see the rest of her pets.

'Do you think you could teach me to ride?' Vi signed to Darci.

"Yeah sure thing, I tell you what why don't we go for a quick try now?"

"I swear you two have to teach me to sign. I so don't be appreciate feeling like the dumb foreigner in all your cute little conversations."

They had Kelpie and Kara saddled up in no time with Hagrid's help, Lena knew how to ride but her and the others seemed content to settle back and play with Mandela, Cat and Roche whilst Darci and Vi went for a ride. Darci helped Vi into Kelpie's saddle before mounting. She taught her how to hold the reigns and then just walked them around for a bit, Kara chafed at the slow pace stretching her wings out occasionally.

"Hey Vi, mind if I take her for a quick fly? She needs a bit of exercise, I'll be back in no time."

Vi nodded absently patting Kelpie's silky coat.

Darci took a run up and then kicked off, the ground below melted away as Kara's powerful wings steadily pushed them upwards. Hogwarts was amazing from this height. Darci circled a turret and plunged over a knife-like cliff to fly over the sea. They circled back around a few minutes later and winged back down to Hagrid's hut.

Most of the rest of the night was spent studying, working their way through the seemingly endless piles of homework that had been heaped on them.

Darci woke up on Tuesday morning feeling considerably better then she had yesterday. It was early enough that Ami and Lily were still asleep so Darci took the advantage to take a long shower and take her time getting ready. She had liked the henna patterns that Zee had drawn on her yesterday so drew a quick one and spelled it in a similar fashion she drew on her eye-liner cat-like. She put on black, buckled jeans, a white shirt, a thick belt around her ribs, then pulled on her Gryffindor tie and robes. She spelled her hair black except for a chunk at the front that she dyed vibrant purple and ruffled it into her usual pixie spikes.

Lily knocked on the door.

"Get out Darc, I'm in serious need of shower-time."

"Alright I'm out," Darci opened the door to a rumpled looking Lily. "Is Ami up yet?

"Nope good luck with that."

"Oh wait Lily I almost forgot, I have something for you."

"Huh?"

Darci rummaged through her nightstand and fished out the green opal.

"I found it, I thought you might like it." She said as she laid the opal in Lily's hand.

Lily cooed holding it up into the light to admire the play of colours.

"It's beautiful Darci, thankyou."

"Consider it an early birthday or Christmas present or something."

"Well I love it, thankyou again."

She gave Darci a quick hug before going off to her shower.

Darci was attempting to wake up Ami when Valiant flew in her window, an envelope clutched in her beak

"Hey Val whatchya got for me girl?"

What she had was a long letter from her uncle berating her for not writing yet. Darci sat down and consigned herself to writing a detailed explanation of her first day at Hogwarts, excluding her little midnight exploration ofcourse. She gave him the details of her friends though thinking he might enjoy hearing about Lena and Ami's constant bickering, Lily's fiery demeanour held behind a quiet good girl persona, Zee's dramatic personality and Vi's timid warmth. Lily came out of her shower halfway through and together they managed to force Ami out of bed.

Darci put her half-finished letter away and made her way down to breakfast. The Great Hall was half full when they got down and busy with the sounds of people scraping marmalade onto toast and clinking spoons against teacups. They met Vi at the doorway and settled into a spot towards the end of the Gryffindor table.

'How did you go with your essay on the four castes of animagi last night?'

"What'd she say?" Ami asked.

"She wants to know how we went with the essay on the four castes of animagi." Darci explained as she spread butter over a warm slice of toast.

"Pretty good actually, I've finished it but I'm not quite happy with how I've worded it. I mean I'm assuming it's in the standard format for essays, I really can't imagine McGonagall wanting it in a more conversational format can you?"

"Does anyone actually understand a word that comes out of that hole in her face?"

Ami asked conversationally as she licked a spoonful whipped cream.

"Eeew how can you eat that?" Ami made a disgusted face at Lena's plate which held two carrots, a celery stick and a small pile of almonds. Ami's was piled with fluffy white scones, whipped cream and mini marshmallows which she was happily pushing into her cream and sandwiching in her scones.

Lena glanced at Ami's plate. "I'm trying to lose weight, you're clearly attempting to go into a diabetic coma."

Darci frowned at Lena; Lena's figure was already looking on the edge of starvation.

"Ami stop putting marshmallows in your scones and atleast eat some fruit, Lena for Merlin's sake you're stick thin, eat some carbs."

Whingy, high-pitched noises started coming out of both of them but Darci tuned them out.

"By god I wish those two were mute." Lily muttered to her, Darci sniggered.

"What are we laughing about, oi shove over midgets." Zee squeezed in between Darci and Lena and started piling her plate.

"I will have you know I'm a very healthy height!" Lena yelped indignantly as Ami shrieked.

"Just because you're so unnaturally tall doesn't mean you can demean the rest of us normal folk."

"Whatever Tinkerbell and Thumbelina let me eat."

"I would like to make an announcement everyone!" James Potter was standing on the Gryffindor table, his voice magically amplified. "I have decided to take a wife this day, yes that's right I will be a married man!"

"He wouldn't," Lily whispered in shocked disbelief, her face turning red.

"That's right; my darling Lily will be joining me in holy matrimony! Lily get up and wave to all the nice people."

"Don't rise to the bait, don't rise to the bait." Darci advised quietly as she watched Lily attempt to reign in her furious temper.

"Oh I see folks, she's just saving her energy for tonight." James announced loudly with an exaggerated wink.

"You arrogant son of a bitch! Since you clearly have problems understanding that I have never nor will ever have interest in you, you PIGHEADED prick! Let me make it clear to you, if it was a choice between you and extinction, I would happily doom the human race! If it-"

"Oh come on Evans, stop being a frigid b-"

"Sirius! Don't speak to my fiancé that way!"

"I AM NOT-"

"Black no one asked your opinion! Go crawl back into the hole you came from."

Darci chipped in, Zee chose that moment to pick up a ripe plum and lob it with surprising skill and accuracy at Remus' head. It collided with the side of his skull with a wet smack. That was about the time all hell broke loose.

All hell it turned out was a school-wide food fight; it ended with both Darci's group and the Marauders getting detention for a month and losing considerable points from their houses (Gryffindor suffered greatly).

"I don't understand why I got detention and Vi didn't I was barely involved! This is a nightmare my perfect record has been marred." Lena protested loudly as they exited the great hall.

"I'm pretty sure you got detention because they found you under the table attempting to rip Ami's hair out. And Ami you don't get to look so self righteous until you apologise to Lena for right hooking her when she wasn't looking, that was a cheap shot."

"I kind of like that Tink's a dirty fighter actually." Zee mentioned.

"What do you have now Darci?"

"Charms with Hufflepuff 1, you guys in that?" She asked Lily and Ami.

"Nope, best of luck!"

Darci made her way to the third floor of the South West Wing and managed to locate her classroom as she picked bits of porridge out of the hair on the back of her head and tried to remember if scourgify would take off her scalp if she attempted it on her head.

"Well look at what the cat dragged in. I have to say sugar, you and your friends sure were an interestin' sight taking on the big boys this morning but you gotta learn to look after that pretty rainbow hair of yours."

Darci glanced up and couldn't help but wince. The blonde perched neatly on a table near the entrance of the charms classroom was perfectly manicured, every long, golden strand in place, her uniform precisely ironed as she examined her nails. What is it with beautiful people? Darci wondered irritably, it wasn't enough that they were beautiful, they had to be popular and top of the class and ridiculously lucky as well? Darci was a mess, like the rest of the student body her uniform was stained with bits of fruit, ketchup, whipped cream and god knows what else but Miss Pageant Queen had managed to not even muss her hair up?

"So how did you manage to avoid disaster?" Darci asked grumpily.

The blonde gave her a too-sweet smile. "These plump little wiz-kids are smarter then I give them credit for but I must congratulate you on your wonderful success at breaking up the monotony that is daily life as a student, now sit down pumpkin and I'll fix your hair." The blonde had a fairly strong Texan drawl, she had big, blue eyes, lightly tanned skin, long blonde hair and a figure that really made it seem unbelievable that she was only a fourth year.

Darci reluctantly sat down next to the girl.

"What did you say your name was?"

"Didn't gorgeous, it's Tatiana but I might just like you enough to let you call me Tat." She gave Darci another big smile, Darci gave a tentative smile back as Tat scooted her chair behind Darci's to fix her hair.

"I'm Dar-"

"Darci Lana Brigid Roane, daughter of Elizabeth Delilah Roane, the dressmaker and currenty living with your uncle Ian Alec Roane, a translator and diplomat for the Ministry of Magic. I've come across a few of your mama's pieces, they were very original she coulda been famous if she'd wanted to."

"Scourge Capillus!" Darci was sitting half lying back as her hair was scrubbed; completely flabbergasted at having private information calmly told to her as if Tatiana had told her something obvious like she had green eyes.

"How do you-"

The teacher arrived just then, Proffessor Flitwick was a small man to say the least, he probably wouldn't come up past Darci's ribs if she stood up.

"Miss Grey I'm not sure that's entirely appropriate use of your class time." Flitwick addressed Tat in a squeaky voice.

"Now, Professor," Tatiana started with an almost scolding note in her voice, Darci was amused, when she turned her head to look at Tat, to see that she was giving him a disapproving look, like he was a naughty child.

"You and I both know that scourgify is an important charm taught in fourth year, me and Miss Roane were just practising, can you suggest a better way for us to spend our time whilst waiting for you?"

Darci could swear Flitwick was flustered, his cheeks just a tad pink, he fidgeted for a moment then muttered, "I suppose that's alright then."

"Wow, I wish that worked for me." Darci muttered as Flitwick moved to the front of the room and began talking about charms they'd be learning this year.

"It's all in the attitude darling." Tat answered as she massaged the shampoo into Darci's hair and cast another dry-cleaning charm on her clothes.

"How did you know about my family and name."

"Oh don't feel outed no one else knows, I took an interest in you from day one and decided to do a little research."

Darci didn't particularly want to know how she had found that information but was slowly warming up to the blonde.

"There we go, good as new." It was, her uniform was clean, her hair fresh and smelling like pineapples. "You're hair colour's come out though," Tat flipped open a little golden mirror so Darci could see. "I also happened to notice you're taking some distance education courses, including a GCAM course."

"A what?"

"A General Creative Arts in Magic course I am too. I want to be a designer see? And Hogwarts really doesn't have many useful subjects for that but the GCAM course is working out well."

"Oh yeah I really like it, very original." Darci murmured distractedly as she took notes.

Tat slid up to sit on her desk, a notepad in her hand as she casually sketched and seemed oblivious to the fact that a class was in session.

When Flitwick paused to demonstrate how to use the freezing charm, which Darci already knew, Darci peered over at Tat's notepad.

"Can I see?"

Tat flipped the notepad over with a quick smile; on the other side was a sketch of a red flamenco dress.

"That's really pretty, I've been looking for a nice flamenco dress."

"Huh, I thought you only did ballet?"

"Ok I am going to tell you now, that is really freaking me out."

She chuckled, "alright but my all-knowing is hard to control, still if you're interested I should design for you sometime." She gave Darci a quick once over. "You're going to have to ditch the goth look on occasion though, not that it doesn't have it's own attributes but you'd look good with colour. Deep, rich ones I think, royal blues, plums, scarlets."

"I might be able to survive that."

"Perfect! Now let's talk about this cute little anti-marauder group you have."

"Is that what were known as? The anti-marauders?"

"You didn't know?" Darci shook her head.

"I know it's not very catchy, you should think up a different one. Now who's leading your rat-pack?"

"Ah I don't know, I don't think we have a leader. I guess, I don't know, Zee maybe?"

"Oh yes Zaresh, no she's definitely the troublemaker. You need someone charismatic, intelligent, someone who will give the group direction and control."

Darci smirked, "are you suggesting yourself?"

"Moi? I would never be so presumptious, no really I can't, no no you're too kind but, oh alright fine you've forced my hand."

Darci chuckled, "alright, not really sure how the others are going to take that though."

The rest of the class passed fairly easily, they froze glasses of water towards the end.

Tat was in the same CoMC class as Darci, their class was held on the Eastern side of the Quidditch pitch, opposite the Forbidden Forest. When Darci and Tat arrived there Ami's was waiting there chatting quietly to a couple of Hufflepuffs, she broke away when she saw Darci.

"Cupcake-" She froze when she spotted Tat.

Eyes wide as saucers she grabbed Darci's hand and all but hid behind her.

"Uh, Ami this is Tatiana-"

"I know," Ami stage whispered, "I don't like her, she's scary."

"Smart girl," Tat smirked, "but there's no reason to fear, you haven't pissed me off…yet." She laughed at Ami's wide eyed look, "sorry, couldn't resist."

"I heard she cursed one girl to break out in boils, and when they tried to get rid of them they multiplied." Ami told Darci. "Her?" Darci murmured disbelievingly, even with the creepy all-knowing stuff, Tat looked fairly harmless especially with her sweet as apple pie accent.

"She deserved it, thieving little skank stole my favourite stilletos and then told me there was no way they were mine because no mudblood could afford them."

Ami peeped out from behind Darci.

"You're a muggle-born?"

"You betchya, cutie pie."

"I am too."

"I know." Ami looked at Darci.

"Don't ask, she's all-knowing apparently."

Ami timidly edged out from behind Darci.

"I like your accent."

"'Course you do sugar, stick 'round me long enough you might just pick it up."

"Really? Oh I like you. Darci I like her, she calls people sugar."

Just like that Ami was back to her hyper self.

"Attention students!" Professor Hawkins was a tall man with keen blue eyes and a head of hair that had once been red but was now mostly silver.

"This month we'll be studying magical animals. Now if you all need a reminder a magical animal is one with magical abilities as opposed to a normal animal with magical properties. Hedgehog quills, for instance, are useful in many potions but hedgehogs themselves are not magical."

He paused to beam at the students.

"Today is really special students; I have a really brilliant treat for you. Today we are studying…phoenixes!"

He stepped behind the shed next to them and returned, beaming from ear to ear, with three phoenixes perched on his arms.

"Some of you may know Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's pet, the other two are on loan from a local conservation."

The phoenixes were large, somewhat resembling bright scarlet and golden peacocks, they were all quite beautiful although one of them appeared to be moulting.

"Now you'll see the female on my left, Firefly, is moulting. This is because she's nearing her Burning Day. Now every 80 years or so a phoenix ages and wears out, at the end of this period, on its' Burning Day, the phoenix bursts into flames, from the ashes, the phoenix is reborn. The phoenix is therefore considered the only truly immortal being on Earth, although the exact number of them is unknown it can be assumed that it never changes."

"Now phoenix have dozens of other useful properties which I'll want you to list and describe in the research assignment you'll be handing in next week."

There was a general groan from the assembled students.

"Now if you'll all line up, you can politely touch Fawkes' feathers, the others I ask you not to touch as they are not tame and when aggravated phoenix can be extremely dangerous."

Darci was feeling buoyant by the end of the lesson, who cared if she had detention for a month, she had good friends and she loved Hogwarts, what's not to love?

Her friend's obviously didn't feel similarly.

"Another assignment already? I'm going to die." Ami muttered miserably.

"It's like they think I have nothing better to do." Tat sighed.

Ami dragged her feet as they made their way to their DADA classroom.

"Come on Ami, get the lead out." Darci called over her shoulder as they made their way up the incline.

Ami rushed to catch up.

"Hey Ami watch-"

Ami's foot hit a stone and she managed a magnificent fall, her warms waving for a moment before her chin hit the ground with a sharp snap.

"Out," Darci finished.

Ami immediately started crying, her big puppy-dog eyes filling up and her bruised chin wobbling.

"Cut that out now." Tat said sharply.

"Hey that's a little h-" Darci started to protest but Tat was already kneeling down and examining Ami's scraped chin.

She fished around in her back for a moment and pulled out a bandaid. She cast a disinfectant spell and then carefully applied the bandaid.

"There now, doesn't a bandaid make everything feel better?"

Ami nodded and sniffled.

"I could've sworn I just saw The Queen putting a band-aid on Ami." Lily said as she met them moments after Tat had left for her class.

"She did! She was really nice Lily flower!"

"The Queen?"

"Yeah, Queen bitch, the Ice Queen, off with their heads Queen Tatiana."

"Huh, well 'The Queen' is probably going to be hanging out with us now."

Lily raised her eyebrows.

"Darci made friends with her."

"Oh Darci I really have to agree with Zee on this, you pick up waay too many people way too quick."

"Ok last one, I swear." She claimed pressing her palm to her chest.

Professor Sabin was a large, stern-looking man who outlined their syllabus, then had them write out the wand movements and take notes about a simple reflecting spell.

"Students, a reflecting spell differs from shielding spells, such as protego, in that it should reflect some of the damage back to the original attacker if performed correctly. Ofcourse as kaptro is quite a basic reflecting charm it probably won't do you much good against say, an Unforgivable Curse, but it in most other circumstances it's a useful spell to know."

"So how did you make friends with The Queen anyway?" Lily whispered to her.

"I think it less to do with me making then her selecting and harvesting me." Darci replied with a self depreciating chuckle.

"But what's the big deal anyway? Our whole group is fairly weird Tat should fit in well." Lily's reply was cut off by Sabin.

"Students!" He gave a sharp look in there direction before continuing. "Now it is of particular importance in this spell that you use strong, steady hand movements, if you are prone to nervous quivers then I would suggest a calming potion or simple relaxing charm. I will be expecting you to have mastered this spell by the end of this week so you'll want to pay particular attention to the diagram on the board."

At the end of class they made their way to the Great Hall. Inside they found Tat sitting on the table in the place where they usually sat. Around her there was a couple of metres gap where people had edged away although a group of first year boys had gathered near the edge to stare with the gawking wonder usually reserved for naughty magazines.

"Well I guess we'll never have to worry about our seat getting taken again.' Lily commented with a grin."

"Tatty! I missed you!" Ami ran full throttle towards Tat but was stopped by a long arm holding her at a distance.

"Nah-uh munchkin, the last girl who called me Tatty ended up with a third nostril, so it's either your highness or Tat."

Ami pouted for a moment before brightening. "I know Tat Teddy?"

"You might as well let her call you that, this could go on all day." Darci informed Tat.

Tat stroked her chin for a moment and then shrugged.

"Hello Lily, I don't think we've ever been formally introduced, I'm Tatiana." She shook Lily's hand.

"You have great coloring, you'd look good in bright colours too but you should avoid yellows and oranges. Pale pinks are fine, but too dark without being red will clash with your hair and you should avoid overly bright greens as they will make you look like a Christmas tree."

"…Oh." Lily couldn't seem to think of anything else to say to that.

"Don't worry sweetie I'll fix you up with a nice little Sunday dress, you'll love it."

"Uh, okay." Lily gave a hesitant smile.

"Is she sitting with us now?" Lena had sidled up to Darci and whispered to her.

"Oh yes Lena Ming Kahn, you know that look really isn't working for you, if you let your hair out and then maybe soft pastels, blacks and whites if mixed with flowing fabric-"

"Oh no, uh uh, I refuse."

This from Zee who had also arrived.

"Darci this has you written all over it, what the fuck is The Queen doing sitting with us? I mean look don't you think we have our hands full with you, the walking zoo, firetop over there, Miss Invisible-" Vi stood to the side, observing with owl eyes, "and the midget wars without adding Princess Barbie to the mix?"

"Ah now, the ever outspoken Zaresh I've been meaning to see you for a while now. You make some of your own clothes don't you? I was thinking maybe we could do a line of alternative style clothing together."

"You make your own clothes?" Zee asked speculatively.

"All of 'em actually, unless I been buying from another designer to examine their style."

"Really? I actually really liked the one you wore to the O'Reilly party last year."

Just like that Tat seemed to be accepted and everyone settled down to eat. Darci was ended up between Lena, who was counting grapes onto her plate, and Vi.

"Hey Vi, how has your day been?"

She smiled, "good."

Darci noticed the books Vi was clutching, she peered at the spines and spotted one she knew.

"Hey I love this book." Darci quickly slipped it from Vi's arms before she could react.

"Wow I didn't know you were a romance lover though." Vi was turning a deeper red by the second.

"Oh wow Jeaniene Frost, I love her! And I'm not usually much of a fan of romance either but Kitten and Bones are so kick-ass!"

"Yeah Jeaniene's Frost's wicked although I like a lot of romance especially paranormal and sometimes historical."

Vi seemed to be emerging a little out of her embarrassment, that was until Zee took One Foot in the Grave off Darci and flicked through, landing unerringly on Chapter 32.

"Why Vi, you sly fox I'd forgotten how kinky this is." She chuckled as she flipped a page.

Vi had turned an even brighter shade and seemed to be attempting to disappear.

"Now don't you listen to her possum, most women read romances, perfectly natural." Tat gave Zee a sharp look and an empty plate suddenly wacked into the back of Zee's head, Darci hadn't even noticed Tat's wand moving.

"Ow! Hey, what the fu-"

"Don't make me soap out your mouth young lady." Tat said warningly, a bar of soap appeared, floating, in front of Zee's face.

Zee settled back into her chair appearing mystified.

"Did I just get called young lady?" Lily started to laugh, Darci joined her and eventually the whole group was in fits of laughter, even Tat couldn't control a grin and a chuckle.

"I'm sorry Vi," said Zee, returning Vi's book, "I didn't mean to embarrass you, it's a great book."

"Thanks," Vi smiled timidly as she accepted back her book. "I've never met someone else who reads romance, which authors do you like?" She asked Darci.

After morning tea Darci and Lena went off to their Herbology class where, to Lena's great relief, they were having a theory day on the works of Geoffrey Scarlet.

Herbology was followed by Ancient Runes. In Ancient Runes Professor Dagaz wrote up detailed descriptions of the six variants of the rune jēra and their applications in spellwork.

"Most young witches and wizards don't actually realise that in fact their wand movements are fundamentally based on drawing runes. Runes are involved in all parts of a witch or wizard's life and your spellwork will always be improved by their use."

Darci looked up from her workbook and caught Sirius' eye. Black seemed to be on his own for once too, he was sitting three seats across from her. He looked quickly at Professor Dagaz who had her back to them as she drew out runes on the blackboard. Black gathered his things and quickly slipped into the empty seat next to Darci.

"What do you want Black?"

"Who says I want anything?"

Darci arched an eyebrow in silent challenge, which seemed to fascinate Black.

"How do you do that I've never been able to lift just one…"

"Cut the crap Black, what do you want?"

"The pleasure of your company?"

He sighed in resignation at the look on her face.

"Fine I can honestly say I'd rather be spending my time with the giant squid."

There was that odd knowing gleam in Black's eyes again, the one that made Darci distinctly nervous.

"Buuut as it happens a mate of mine is a royal bloody idiot and hung up on a mate of yours and has forced me to convey an apology on his behalf to be passed to the aforementioned friend of yours for any inconveniences she may have suffered in result this morning's misunderstanding. In addition the aforementioned friend of mine has forcefully persuaded myself to offer a similar conveyance in response to any similarities I may have made between aforementioned friend of yours and a cold female dog."

Darci stared in disbelief as Sirius rattled off the convoluted, near incomprehensible list; Sirius leaned back nonchalantly with his arms folded behind his head.

"You take after your grandfather, you could have been a politician." Sirius grandfather Pollux had made an unsuccessful attempt at becoming minister close to ten years ago. Sirius' expression didn't change but when he spoke there was a steel note to his voice.

"I don't take after anyone Roane and you'd do best to remember that."

"Black! Roane! Please conduct your personal affairs in your own free time please."

Darci blushed as a few people snickered and suddenly decided she really didn't like Professor Dagaz that much after all.

Roane concentrated on her work, carefully copying out the runes from the board. A couple minutes passed of Darci attempting work and Sirius relaxing and watching her as if she'd just become his new favourite form of amusement.

"Alright Black fine, whatever I'll pass the apology on but will you leave?"

"No, I like this seat."

"Seriously," Sirius grinned and Darci rolled her eyes and continued, "what the hell do you want Black?"

"That's not really the question is it?"

"What?"

"What?" Darci glared at Sirius.

"Alright I'll tell you what I want to know, I want to know what you're hiding."

Darci head snapped up just a touch to quickly and she could see Sirius had noticed. She flushed a little.

"I'm not hiding anything." She mentally winced at how weak her voice sounded.

"Really? You don't sound so sure of that Roane."

Darci paused as Dagaz shot a look over her shoulder then turned to Sirius.

"You're right Sirius I am hiding something." She deadpanned, Sirius focused on her with sudden intensity.

"My undying love for you, will you marry me?" She smirked.

"Oh fuck you."

"I'd rather not." Darci said as the bell rang

After Ancient Runes was lunch, which passed with Darci and Vi exchanging favourite authors and discovering they had very similar tastes when it came to books. Whilst they chatted Lena and Ami had rekindled their heated argument which was being prevented from coming to blows by Tat. Darci caught Sirius looking at her a few times as his friend James talked to him.

After lunch Darci and Zee left for their first Astronomy lesson, which was a theory one at the base of the Astronomy tower.

Astronomy was taught by a Professor Stella, who was a thin, dreamy old lady who often seemed to wonder off on tangents that had little to do with the original topic.

It was quite a relaxed class but Darci had a feeling she'd struggle with it as a lot of it seemed to rely heavily on maths which Darci was terrible at. Luckily, as it happened, Zee was excelled at math and willing enough to help Darci in exchange for help with other homework, although as far as Darci could tell Zee was more then capable in all her subjects although she lacked…focus. In other words she'd rather be drawing on Darci's arm, and flirting with curious girls. Toward the end of the lesson Darci caught Remus' eye, he was by himself in this class so she gave him a grin, Remus seemed to be alright compared to the other the marauders.

"Hey Remus what's happening?"

He returned her smile.

"Nothing much Darci, so I see that you aren't enthralled by the movement of Jupiter in coalition to Uranus?"

"No not so much, even less so about how that affected the Professor's weekend three months ago." Remus chuckled.

"Hey Remus," Zee was distracted from shocking a couple Gryffindor girls by winking and blowing kisses at them. "Sorry about the plum this morning it wasn't personal I just thought a food fight might shake up an otherwise boring Tuesday morning."

"No that's alright it was fun actually and I think I may have got you back, I'm pretty sure I got you with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

"Oh that was you; it's going to take me forever to get the jam out of my top."

As it turned out Remus was actually quite likable when separated from his gang of idiots. Darci didn't actually understand why he wasted his time with them but decided to make things easier for him and not to bring it up.

After Astronomy they had History of Magic again which Darci casually took notes in whilst working on her Mystic Remedies assignment – "Research twelve herbs and fungi native to your surrounding area that would help in a dire medical situation." Sounded like a good excuse to explore the Forbidden Forest to her.

After History of Magic they all met up in Darci, Lily and Ami's dorm. They spent a few hours in there, the other dorm members snuck in for a couple of minutes, glared at them all and then crept back out. Darci had learned that their names were Holly, Bridget and Kendra.

Zee was lazing across Lily's bed. Darci was showing Vi some books she wanted to lend her, Lily and Tat were chatting casually on Ami's bed and Ami and Lena were having another shouting fit (something about Ami's fluffy toy collection, Darci didn't know she'd stopped paying attention to them.)

"Alright now ladies, settle down, settle down." Tat tapped at the side of a champagne glass with a spoon. How or where she'd gotten the champagne glass Darci wasn't sure. The others quietened until Lena sniped "atleast I can go to bed without Mr Snookems."

"It's Sir Hugsalot." Ami shouted as she launched herself at Lena. They finally torn apart by an irritated Tat.

"Now you two are gonna sit in opposite corners until you can learn to play nice." She gave them stubborn pushes towards opposite walls.

"Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted I have gathered you here tonight-"

"You have?" Zee muttered sceptically, Tat ignored it.

"-to announce the formation of the Brigands!"

"The Brigands?" Lily questioned.

"Yes as a group a name will give us focus and unity. The Brigands represents our opposition and rivalry to the Marauders as well as our commitment to freedom, adventure, exploration and our own set of laws."

Zee sighed dramatically, "alright if it keeps the little Queen happy I'm cool with it."

"It does actually. Any other objections?"

Everyone else shrugged.

"Alright then I would like to nominate myself as Leader, Chief and Captain. Will anyone second it?" She looked around the room.

Darci raised her hand, grinning a little. "I so second it." Tat made a good leader and as Zee said, if it kept her happy…

"Excellent, are there any objections?" Everyone else shrugged. "Alright, motion carried. Now as the newly elected Leader I feel it is my responsibility to govern the group responsibility, first order of business, you two," she pointed at Lena and Ami, "have two weeks to work out your issues, your fighting is disruptive to the group. Second order of business – homework." She went around dumping large sheafs of bound paper in front of each person.

"Wait, you mean you're giving us homework?"

"That's right, sugarpie." She gave Zee a super sweet smile.

"I retract my second." Darci proclaimed.

"Oh come on guys it's just a questionnaire- wait, we have to write an essay?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Actually you have to write five mini-essays, for me to operate optimally as leader I must have a full understanding of each person and their place in the group. You have ten days to hand it in."

"Alright guys whatever let's go down for dinner."

"Oh yes about that you're in for a bit of a show."

Dinner was almost over and Darci still had no idea what Tat had been talking about when a glimmer of light above Professor MacGonogall's head caught Darci's eye.

A firework went off at the High Table, it shot up and exploded above their heads in a flurry of red and gold. A squelching sound, like texta on a whiteboard, started as red little horns appeared above McGonagall's head as if she were a photo someone had drawn over, it went on to do all of the teachers, colouring a few teeth out of Dumbeldore's grin, a pirate patch to Flitwick and a clown face to Desponét, then started to write on the wall behind them.

This presentation is proudly

brought to you by The Marauders.

Darci glanced over at Tat to see her grinning and almost missed a cartoon fat, blue dragon flying across the wall. It paused infront of the lettering and then spewed blue flames over them, erasing them. In their place was blue lettering.

And proudly outdone and erased

by The Brigands.

Your welcome.

The blue dragon then peeled itself off the wall becoming three dimensional and flew over the Gryffindor table. It paused over the Marauders, opened it's wide mouth and puked blue goo all over them. As the goo dripped down their faces words were spelled out in them. On James' head was Beaten, on Remus' by, on Peter's little, and on Sirius' girls.

"So I assume this is your handiwork?" Darci asked Tat.

"Oh that's not all, you just wait until they try to get all that glue off them. The writing turns blue and stains when connected with soap. Should take them a good week to get that off atleast."

They scurried off pretty quickly after that, worried that they might get another detention if the Marauders caused a scene.

"It wasn't bad actually, I quite liked it although we'll need to work on your flair."

"Well you'll all be with me for the next one, you can make sure I got plenty of flair."

They trundled up to the library to study for a bit, the library closed at 8:00pm so they had just under an hour. Darci sat down quickly and began to write up the assignments and homework she currently had. Already it was quite an impressive list.

"There is something I need to know from you lot." They all paused and looked up at her.

"I need to know when of your birthdays are, I already had mine, it's August 18th. I'm a Leo."

"Really?" Darci asked, "shouldn't you be in the year above us then?"

"No as my birthday was within two weeks of the first day of term I was given the option to start on the following year."

"Oh well happy birthday anyway."

"Thankyou Darci, when's your birthday?"

"Don't you already know this?"

"Yes I'm just confirming information."

"November 11th." Tat took out a notepad and ticked something off.

"Lily?"

"January 30th."

"Vi?"

"She says it's the 2nd of March." Darci translated.

"Lena?"

"It's the 28th of May."

"Ha take that I am so older then you, you mean little baby." Ami announced.

"I'm May 24th."

"Not necessary Ami, sit down Lena."

"And Zee, it says here that your birthday's Sepetember 17th, that's in two weeks, is that correct?"

"You must tell me sometime where 'says here' comes from but yeah that's right."

Tat clucked her tongue. "You've given me no time to prepare."

"Prepare for what?"

"The party ofcourse."

* * *

**AN: Yeah this one took me a while and was more like a day in the life of a Hogwarts student, should pick up next chapter. If you want an explanation for anything pop me a message. Oh yeah there's a link to Darci's timetable on my profile. Now practise the magic mantra, review, review, review :).**


	3. Close Calls

**Ch. 3 Close Calls**

"_Let the rain fall down, let it fall to the ground,_

_Let the rain fall down to the ground._

_And the birds don't sing, no they don't make a sound,_

_When you're six feet underground."_

The following days passed well, certainly not uneventfully but in relatively the same manner the first few had. The situation with the Maruaders, if anything, was getting worse although Remus was excluded from the war for Astronomy classes. Darci was becoming fast friends with him; she felt an odd kinship to Remus that she couldn't put her finger on.

The Brigands had discovered a hangout spot, a secluded courtyard. It was around 7 or 8 metres squared and hidden between the entrance to the Astronomy Tower and the North West Wing, although it had four walls there was no roof (although they checked to make sure it wasn't just an illusion).

There are a few stone benches covered in ivy and the courtyard was filled with serveral ivy covered trees. In the future they intended to furnish, clean and dewed it but it was still a pleasant, private place to procrastinate and plan. They'd named it the Shadow Grove.

Lily had stumbled upon it when she'd noticed ivy poking from between two bricks in a corridor. She'd tried revealing spells with no luck and eventually stumbled upon it by accident when she'd been trying to think of a strong lighting spell, thinking maybe the ivy was some form of devilsnare. As she'd tapped her wand against the brick and absently talked to herself she'd muttered 'shadows' and the bricks had become momentarily insubstantial, the way the nine and three quarters' platforms' bricks did.

They'd eventually pinned it down to four taps against the ivy, saying 'shadows on the last tap.

Darci had made a discovery of her own although she wasn't sure she wanted to share it with the group quite yet (Tat had decided that mapping Hogwarts should be one of their groups' goals). It was a locked door at the end of the Southwest Corridor leading out to the greenhouses. When Darci had inquired about it Ami had shrugged and told her it had always been locked. During her free periods towards the end of her first Friday Darci had gone back to it, determined to try every spell she could think of on it only to find it unlocked.

Inside was what had once been a beautiful dance studio although its' hardwood floors were covered in dust. One entire wall was mirrored and a barre was affixed to that wall. One side of the room was dedicated to gymnastics with a vault, pommel horse, uneven bars and a balance beam. The rest of the room was clear of any equipment so dancers could move freely. As far as she could work out the room opened at midday on Friday for several hours (She wasn't sure precisely how long as she had classes) and at 7 till 9 pm on Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays. She supposed that perhaps once this might have been when the classes were taken back when the studio was still in use.

Darci had taken ballet lessons since she could walk, although she'd split off and explored other forms of dance and even acrobatics in the last few years dance held a special place in her heart. For her it had been an attempt to find that weightless freedom she felt when she swam and transfer it onto land. She was almost unnaturally flexible, she suspected this was another selkie thing as it was a large part of the reason she could swim so well, and double jointed in many parts of her body.

Darci had spent most of the first day cleaning it from top to bottom, returning it to it's former glory. Privately she also used this as an excuse to put off dancing, she really didn't want to know how rusty she had gotten. On Sunday she worked the nerve after a couple of stretching exercises to try out some basic ballet steps. She had felt clumsy and awkward for the first hour but had eventually found her rhythm again.

She had started improvising, playing her ipod as she danced. She chose odd songs to dance to, at the moment she was trying to recreate different scenes from 'Strictly Ballroom' and so was playing 'Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" by Doris Day as she went over the movie in her head and danced rumba.

It was now Friday again and her friends were beginning to get suspicious about her absences. Zee joked that Darci was cheating on them with other groups but atleast Darci was managing to regain her lost ground in dancing.

The party was coming along brilliantly, Tat was in charge with Zee dictating her demands for her birthday. They had decided on an Ancient Gods and Goddesses theme. To stop all the guests from dressing up as the same characters Tat had Zee had composed a list of gods and goddesses and mailed it with invitations, the names on the list disappeared as different people claimed the different gods and goddesses. Zee had given the Brigands first dibs on their favourites. Zee had chosen Kali, the hindu goddess of death and destruction (Zee had explained this with an evil grin the size of Texas) Ami was going as the Greek goddess Demeter, Lena was going as Athena, Vi was going as Bast, an Egyptian cat goddess, Tat was going as Aphrodite, Lily was going as Freya, a Norse warrior goddess and Darci had grabbed Persephone, a Greek goddess who, along with her husband Hades, ruled the underworld.

Tat was going to make them all costumes that she claimed would be both accurate to their characters and their personalities. Darci had to take her word at this because none of them were allowed to see the costumes yet, despite the fact that the party was tomorrow night.

Darci checked her watch, it was 7:55pm. She sighed, she'd probably missed dinner again, she'd sneak down to the kitchens to grab a snack and then head up to the Gryffindor dorms to see if her friends were there, it was stormy and late so they wouldn't be in the shadow grove. Tonight was a full moon so she'd really only have enough time to figure out an excuse to sneak off, already she felt itchy, irritable, her skin seemed dried out and hot. She tried not to think about it, the kitchens were always fun to visit, the house elves always seemed to have everything she liked on hand. In fact once she told them her favourites and preferences she began to notice them appearing around where her group sat. Lily and Tat had both known how to get to the kitchens so Darci had learned that secret from them.

She was about to make her way upstairs when something caught her eye. In the light spilling from the ground floor window Sirius Black knelt. He didn't seem to notice that the wet grass had soaked straight through the knees of his pants or that a chill wind had picked up, his attention was fixed solely on the creature infront of him. The red fox was a scrawny little thing, it's lustrous coat seemed to cling to it's bones as it carefully stepped foreward, it's eyes glued to Sirius as it quickly snatched the pellet of food he'd laid down. Sirius slowly stretched out his hand, careful not to startle the fox as he laid down another pellet slightly closer then the last.

Darci watched, entranced as Sirius slowly convinced the fox to edge closer, laying pellet after pellet out. His patience never seemed to waver, his determination to gain the fox's trust was warming, Darci found it hard to hate anyone who could take so much care with an animal in need.

Eventually he convinced the fox to take the pellets from his hand and before long it was eagerly licking them off his palm. Sirius layed a hand in the soft fur at the back of it's neck and gently stroked it. Darci was thinking that maybe she should make her presence known and let him know it wasn't a good idea to let wild animals get too used to human contact when Sirius produced a syringe, before she could even open her mouth he had injected it into the fox's neck.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Darci shouted opening the window.

Sirius looked up, his eyes drifting slowly over her face, not looking overly concerned to be caught stabbing harmless animals with syringes.

"Tranqing a fox, what does it look like?"

Darci opened her mouth to reply but was stopped short as Sirius gently gathered the fox up in a warm blanket and tucked it carefully under his jacket as he made his way inside. Darci closed her mouth with a click and then trotted to follow him.

"I mean WHY are you tranquilising a fox?"

"Her leg's damaged, I don't think it's broken just a bad sprain but she won't live through the winter unless she get's it fixed, as Madam Pomfrey's unlikely to treat a fox and Hagrid's in the Forbidden Forest looking into who's been setting traps I'm her best bet for the moment."

Darci couldn't really recall ever having a conversation like this with Sirius, for once he didn't seem his usual sarcastic and witty self, his voice was low and serious, his brow furrowed as he thought.

"I'm taking a Mystic Remedies course, it's not much but maybe I could help."

Sirius turned, his face surprised as he caught her eyes, a slow smile turned up the corners of his lips. As warm and delicious as hot chocolate it spread all the way up to his eyes and melted straight through Darci. She swallowed as her heart made a wild leap for her throat.

"You know you're not half bad Roane."

Darci blushed and looked away. By god, when had she become so awkward?

"Ah you're not bad either."

Sirius' grin turned wicked.

"Don't believe that for an instant. I'm plenty bad." He chuckled.

There was the Sirius she knew; she slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Since when do bad boys go around saving injured animals?"

"Careful don't make me reconsider this." But the playful grin he threw her said otherwise.

'_By god am I actually flirting with Sirius Black?'_

Darci tried to sober up.

"Where should we take her?"

"I know a place we can go."

"I should get my things; I'll need something to make a splint with if it's fractured or broken."

"It's alright there'll be plenty there."

"You don't even know what I need."

"Trust me you'll have everything."

They ascended staircase after staircase, working their way up to the seventh floor.

"Alright genius where's this room that will have everything I need?" Darci asked as she watched a troll in a tutu tackle another to the ground in the tapestry opposite.

"Walk up and down that hallway three times thinking about everything you need."

He sighed at the sceptical look Darci threw him.

"Just do it."

"Don't order me."

"Fine, please."

"You need to work on your attitude."

"I'll work on it while you walk."

Darci turned and strode up the corridor, concentrating on everything she could think of that her books had mentioned. On her third turn through the empty corridor an innocuous, grey door appeared, Darci blinked at it in surprise.

"Come on." Sirius grabbed her arm with his free hand and pulled her through the door. Inside was a large room decked out like a magical veterinary clinic. A bookcase against one wall was full of magical veterinary reference books, a surgical table was set up on one side with the wall behind it covered in glass cabinets containing all kinds of medical equipments, salves, potions and remedies.

"See, didn't I tell you?" Darci didn't even have to turn her head to know that Sirius was smirking.

"What's this place? How did you find it?"

"It's called the Room of Requirement and a house elf told me about it, those little buggers know everything."

"It's brilliant."

Sirius nodded as he hurried over to the surgical table and laid the fox down on it.

Darci followed him over, her mind back on the job at hand.

Sirius stepped back and let Darci give the fox a quick examination. Darci could immediately tell where the trap had clamped down on the fox's right hind leg. Dried blood covered the wound but Darci was fairly sure the bone had been shattered where the trap had clamped down. Darci picked through a couple of books before finding a good few spells. She needed one that would work like an X-ray then another to set the bones and a final one to heal them.

The whole process took just over an hour. By the time she was done Darci was sweating, her hands trembling from both the pressure and stress and also the added tension of the full moon.

"She'll be okay now?" Sirius asked as she finished her splint. She was fairly sure she'd pulled the spells off well but the leg would still be delicate for a few days and she didn't want the fox to reinjure herself.

"Yeah but I don't think we should release her for a few days just until she's recovered also she's severely undernourished."

"Where should we keep her?"

"Hagrid's I guess but can you take her up to your dorm for the night, she should sleep through it anyway." Darci would take her to her own dorm but she imagined she wouldn't be returning to it for quite a few hours, not until she'd had a swim anyway.

"Yeah that's no problem, the guys won't mind."

Sirius traced his fingers through the fox's warm fur. His attitude towards Darci had changed through the last couple of weeks, what had started as burgeoning hatred and resentment had swelled into something else entirely. He hated to even think it but it was close to James' obsession with Lily but where James wore his infatuation openly Sirius preferred to keep his fixation quiet, that way no one could work out how deep his obsession ran. God forbid Darci ever figure out he knew that she had a tiny silver scar running parallel to her hairline or that she adored tirimisu. He had sketched her a few times but had never been able to capture her just right when she wasn't there and he never dared whilst she was.

Only Remus had some inkling of his obsession and then only because Sirius hammered him for details after their shared Astronomy class. Lately though, Sirius had become resentful, it was unfair and ridiculous but it was hard to kill the dark tendrils of envy that crept in every time he saw the two of them laughing as they ran down the astronomy tower staircase.

"What's her name?"

"She has to have a name?" Sirius avoided the question and her eyes, his fox had a name but it wasn't one he cared to share. When he'd seen the fox, so brilliant against its' dull background, it had looked him straight in the eye with clever eyes that cut straight to the soul and then dismissed him to sniff a tree hollow. He'd named it Darci.

"Ofcourse she has to have a name! Let me think, something strong but beautiful like she is."

She looked at him for a couple of minutes but then closed her eyes like she had a headache.

Sirius frowned, realising she had a sheen of sweat gathering on her brow.

"Darci are you okay? You don't look well, do you feel alright?" He stood and crossed to her side of the table.

"Ah yeah I'm just tired."

He brushed his hand across her forehead.

"You're burning up, come on we have to get you into bed."

"Mercy." Darci murmured as she stared up at him with an incomprehensible look.

"What?" Sirius frowned at her, maybe she was even worse off then she looked. Darci blushed and cleared her throat.

"Ah Mercy, we should name her Mercy you know because you showed her mercy."

"It's a fine name, now come on love we need to get you into bed." He said using a soft, warm tone as he gathered the fox up in one arm and steered Darci with the other.

Did Sirius just call me love? Darci wondered dazedly as she let Sirius lead her out of the Room of Requirement.

"Let's get you up to your room you look like your about to pass out."

Her mind immediately jolted back into action, she couldn't go up to bed she _needed_ the ocean, she felt like she was being baked alive, her throat was so dry she felt like she hadn't had anything to drink in a week. If she went back to the Gryffindor common room this late it could be hours before she could get away, on a Friday night there would be students up in the common room till midnight and in all likeliness an older student irritating enough to either follow or report her.

"No, it's fine you know I can make my own way up, I was going to check something out first." Darci said as she backed out from under his arm.

"Darci you're burning up and feverish. Actually I should probably take you to the hospital wing."

"No!" She tried to tone her voice down, "I mean it's fine, I'll go there in a bit there's just something I need to check out first." She was getting desperate, her thoughts on that one time she'd been caught far from the sea - pure torture and that had been so many years ago, the symptoms had increased tenfold as she'd hit adolescence.

"Nothing can be that important and if it is I'll come with you, you shouldn't be alone."

"No, for christ's sakes just leave me alone okay?"

Sirius withdrew at her sharp tone, his expression briefly showing something close to hurt before dropping to a blank one. Darci stumbled trying to find someway to retract her words.

"It's fine, I'll see you tomorrow." He spoke curtly then turned and left.

Darci paused regret heavy even against the pull of the moon but eventually she succumbed fleeing down staircases and eventually to the rocky stairs that led down the cliff-face to the ocean. She shed her clothes as she reached a private cove and then dived into the water. The relief was immediate, pleasure wound its' way through her veins like a drug, she came up gasping in relief. Her skin tingled and Darci lifted up a hand to watch it fade to near translucency and a thin layer of skin grow between her knuckles. The heavy weight of her hair was returning to her head as she drew it out of the water. She sighed as she closed her eyes, Sirius was branded on the inside of them, his face concerned as he leant down to feel her forehead. She winced, god he'd been so nice to her and she'd acted like a stuck up bitch. She tried to banish it from her thoughts, she'd deal with it tomorrow, now that she knew that Sirius wasn't really a dick she'd figure out a way to get along with him.

The moon hung above her, its' light felt glorious on her skin as she dived beneath the water. Her new webbed fingers helped her plough her way far into the ocean until she had left Hogwarts far behind then she dived deep beneath the water leaving her problems behind on the surface. Deeper and deeper she pushed into the dark murky depths where even her crazy good night vision could barely pierce her surroundings.

Darci froze as she spotted a Black Seadevil. The deep-sea fish looked like something out of a horror film, most of its' body was taken up by a huge mouth filled with razor sharp teeth of varying size, a little bioluminous bulb dangled in front of it, like a morbid little fishing line. Darci stayed perfectly still as it swam straight past her waist and closed her eyes in relief when it was gone. Until she realised something was moving below her, she could tell only by the shifting and churning of the water, she didn't dare open her eyes. God she'd thought swimming in the UK would be smooth sailing compared to Russia's freezing water and hidden jagged ice caps. She finally gathered the courage to pry her eyes open. Several feet below her on the ocean floor a giant sea serpent drove through the dark water. Bioluminous lights lined its' body and it's horrific head. It's body was almost as thick as Darci was tall, it's head twice that size and like the Seadevil, all jaw. Large, vacant and milky eyes stared straight ahead as it forged on, giant saber-like teeth protruded up infront of its' nostrils. Darci was running out of air but didn't move a muscle for the fifteen agonising minutes it took the serpent to fully pass her, and then she shot towards the surface. As soon as she broke the surface she began swimming full force, on the other side of the bay and considerably closer to the shore she was at last sure she hadn't been followed by the deep sea monster. Feeling a little shaky she floated around a kelp reef, she saw a flash of movement in the depths below her and just stopped herself from yelping, it was just a fish. Wait, she paused peering deeper into the water, it couldn't be she thought as she dived back under, it was! Hippocampi! A herd of them were gathered inbetween the kelp, grazing on it and lazily grooming each other. They were magnificent, half horse half fish they varied in colour from dappled dark brown to sea green and aqua. Huge fins protruded from their elbows and the back of their tale like gossamer wings catching the moonlight filtering through the water.

She hovered behind a thick clump of kelp trying to be as quiet and still as possible, this time so as not to scare the object of her fascination. A light aqua hippocampus dappled in moss green was closest to her; instead of a mane it had a thin, frequently segregated fin. It drew closer and closer as it tugged out bits of kelp, pausing to chew it brought its' head up and looked directly into Darci's eyes. She froze as she stared into those amber eyes but the 'campus just let it's gaze wonder past her as if she'd been an interesting leaf that had briefly caught it's attention.

That wasn't right Darci thought, she'd read dozens of books and according to all of them hippocampi were quick to shy from humans.

Deciding to perhaps test it she moved a little closer, when the campus gave no reaction she tentatively stretched out a hand and patted him behind the ear, the horse flickered its' ear as if it had a fly behind it but didn't so much as raise it's head from the kelp. Fascinating Darci thought as she ran her hand down its' sleek neck. The campus bought its' head up as it finished chewing a mouthful and she stroked gently down it's muzzle and then when he seemed to like that scratched him behind the ears. She worked her way through the rest of the herd, petting and scratching. It was odd the way they treated her, Darci had never had a problem getting along with animals and that was prior to spending hours working out their behaviour and what they did and didn't like but the hippocampi treated her as if she was an established figure in their lives. Maybe they'd been tamed by merpeople she thought and pondered whether she'd be able to ride them. Eventually she decided not to try it tonight, partly because she didn't want to scare them off and partly because without any equipment she'd be for the most part at the mercy of their whim and she didn't particularly want to run into the sea serpent again.

She allowed herself to be swept up and beached on the sand, the cliff-face stretched above her so she wasn't worried about being seen. She lay there for a while letting the water roll over her as she relaxed into the sand, it felt so good, like a hot shower after a long day. She shifted onto her stomach and sifted idly through the sand, after a few minutes her hand dropped to the sand, it was so pleasant lying in the shallow water and her eyes were so heavy she'd just rest them for a couple of minutes.

_Darci was dreaming. Of that she was quite positive because her great grandfather Liam, who had been dead for over ten years now, was smoothing his worn-out, calloused hands across her four-year old head. Darci watched her own memory through a spectator's point of view as her four-year old self knelt next to Grandpa Lee and laid her head on his knee as he told her a story that had been repeated to Darci by him and her mother until the day her mother had died. It was the story of Lee and Lana, Darci's great grandmother._

"_Once upon a time there lived three wizarding sons of a noble family. Their father, a well-liked but imprudent man had married into wealth and gambled away his fortune after his wife's death. On his death bed the weight of his debt bore hard on his shoulders. He called for his three sons to come forward, so that he may speak to them and beg their forgiveness for leaving them to deal with his mistakes._

_The first son had made friends with a duke in England whose cousin was a wealthy widower not adverse to his courtship. The first son begged his father's forgiveness but claimed he dared not leave should the widower choose another in his absence._

_The second son had seduced a rich merchant's travelling daughter, thinking she was just a pheasant after she had been accosted by highwaymen and her jewellery, horse and carriage had been stolen and attendants fled. He sent his father a quick missive explaining that even now he raced to meet her father and beg for her hand in marriage fearing he'd gotten her with child._

_The third son had neither made friends in high places nor seduced any daughters, rich or otherwise, but had been working doing odd jobs for the local tanner and blacksmith so as to earn a modest income whilst staying by his ailing father's side. When his father asked for him the young man quickly returned to his bedside._

'_Forgive me for my sins, my beloved son,' his father asked as he clasped his son's hand in his, 'I have left you with a heavy burden to carry.'"_

_Both Darcis heard the sadness in his voice as he retold the tale of his father's death and Darci's younger self gave his fingers a tight squeeze._

"_The youngest son was overcome with grief at his father's nearing death and answered before he had even finished his sentence._

'_There is nothing to forgive for what you haven't given in gold you've given in happy memories.'_

_His father had patted his head soothingly and smiled down at his son._

'_Then please before I die, take into consideration some parting advise.'_

_The son eagerly agreed._

'_Do not follow in mine own and your brothers footsteps, earn your own fortune from the land and take pride in what you do and when you find a lass that steals your heart, tell her everyday. My greatest regret in life is that I never told your mother that I love her and my greatest fear is that she died thinking she was nothing more than a dowry to me.'_

_The son took great heed in his father's words and after seeing to his father's funeral he set off to earn his fortune._

_The young man travelled far across the land and took up work as a farmhand but it was not long after that the farmer and his wife came upon hard times and were forced to turn him out. He travelled further still, taking work wherever he could find it, but luck wasn't on his side, for he was turned out again and again with nary a dime to show for it._

_Finally he turned his sights to the open seas and soon enough found a good natured captain to sail with. The man spent many years traversing the seas and eventually became a captain himself. When he'd earned enough to start a life of his own the Captain returned to his homeland eager to contact his long lost brothers and share his good fortune with them but when he returned to his old home discovered naught but two gravestones and two tragedies. His old friend – Black explained that his second eldest' brother had reached the rich merchant who had already heard from his daughter everything that had occurred. In a fit of rage the merchant had shot and killed his brother and then confessed after his daughter had killed herself. The eldest brother on the other hand had gone on to marry the rich widower and then mere months later mysteriously died of the same ailment her first husband had. The widower had died a year later of consumption._

_The youngest brother was grief stricken to hear of his brothers' demise and with little else to do fled back to his empty ship docked on the shore of West Ireland. He walked for several days and nights along the beaches, wishing to be alone in his misery. On the fifth night he stopped, exhausted he lay on the shore and loneliness gripped his heart like a vice, for in all the world there was none that he called family._

_He wept into the sea for many hours and fell into a deep sleep on its' shore. _

_He was awoken some hours later by laughter. The Captain stood and searched for a source of the laughter but it had faded away and he could see no others besides himself. He had almost convinced himself that he had imagined the sound as the skies opened up and torrents of rain poured down when, even over the din of the storm, he heard it again. This time it was accompanied by soulful strains of a violin and voices rising in a chorus so sweet that he was struck dumb. He stumbled mindlessly following the sounds he climbed up a mound of jagged rocks and peered over the top. Down below in a tiny, secret cove a group of people danced and sang. They were as strange as they were gloriously beautiful for their skin glinted like white opal, seeming to give off its' own light and their huge dark eyes caught and reflected the moonlight like looking glasses. In the group there were two men and five women all of which were as naked as the day they were born. The women all had thick, dark hair that curled all the way to the backs of their knees but only one caught and held the Captain's gaze. She sat perched on a rock her hair swept to one side, one leg dangling into the water below, the tide rose up and crashed against rock immersing most of one of her sides in water but she didn't seem bothered, her face ecstatic as her bow ran back and forth across the violin she clutched to one shoulder, building to a violent crescendo. The rain and pounding waves seemed to provide rhythm and band, her wild solo wending in and out of the others bewitching melody. In that moment the captain was sure he had spied the huntress goddess Diana gracing mortal realms. That was until his fingers brushed against fur, gazing down he saw that strewn along the rocks he was leaning on were seal skins. The Captain had discovered the secretive selkies. Six skins in varying shades of brown and black littered the rocks and one which was silver and white, the one beneath his fingertips. He would've bet all his fingers and toes that this skin belonged to his beautiful violinist. In that moment he looked up and met eyes with her. The Captain's breath was stolen from his chest for unlike her dark eyed compatriots her eyes were blue-green and as deep and clear as the ocean on a fine day." Her grandfather paused and met her four-year old self's eyes before glancing away, his expression pained. Darci watched herself clench her hands into fists in anguish. She had been told since before she could walk and talk that she was the splitting image of her great grandmother, had it spat and sneered at her in fact. She didn't think her great grandfather had ever been able to look at her without sadness in his eyes, never able to gaze at her without seeing his dead wife._

"_The Captain froze, sure she would grab her skin and flee into the waves but instead she gave him a wicked grin and continued to play._

_In that moment, seized by loneliness and desire for the enchanting siren a terrible thought took seed in his mind. He had been told stories about the seal people by his nanny, the recurring factor in all these stories that if you held and kept their skin they would stay with you, but without their skins they were miserable, wasting away without their seal half. The Captain glanced back at the violinist but she had returned to staring into the frothing ocean. He grasped the silver skin and snatched it off the rocks, stowing it under his coat. The music came to a screeching halt and there was a pained gasp from below. He looked down to see the selkies frozen, staring up at him; their faces masks of horror. He hardly dared to raise his eyes to the violinist and when he did the full weight of his rash decision came crashing on him. She stared at him with wounded disbelief, her eyes welling up; the captain was struck with the irrational urge to comfort her, to take that look from her eyes, even as he was the one to put it there. The other selkies scrambled with surprising swiftness up the jagged rocks to retrieve their skins. Both of the men and one of the women lingered on the shore after retrieving their skins, looking as though they wished to help but the violinist gave them a harsh command in a foreign language and they fled into the waves. She stepped down from her rock and waited on the beach as the Captain made his way down the rocks. When he stood in front of her he found he couldn't hold her gaze and let it drop to the sandy ground below him._

'_You've severed my wings sailor. Congratulations.' Her voice was strong and cold but wavered on the last word. 'Now what do you want with me?'_

_The Captain sighed, knowing he would have to return his hold over her, he had never been able to abide caged animals and to take away the freedom of a creature so wild and beautiful was a thing his conscience could not stomach._

_He took a deep breath against the terrible ache that had started now he knew he could never keep the selkie._

'_You left your…cloak on the rocks, I thought you might be cold.' He clenched his jaw as he held out the silver skin. He didn't look at her whilst he did it; he stared at the skin until she took it with a murmured thankyou, then he stared at his empty hands, willing them to return to his sides. A pale, almost luminous hand slipped into one of his tanned, scarred hands. His gaze shot up to meet the selkie's gaze; he was surprised she was even still there._

'_Sailor,' she addressed him, 'what do you want from me?' She repeated, in a softer tone this time._

_He stared into her eyes and blurted out, "what's your name?'_

'_What's yours?' She countered._

'_Captain Liam Jacob Roane.' He answered automatically._

'_Well sailor, I'm Lana.'_

'_Lana?'_

'_Lana Brigid.'_

'_I'm sorry Lana Brigid, I intended to steal your skin.' He confessed, wincing at his own weak apology. He stared down at their hands, gathering hers between the two of his to feel the soft, warm skin, gently kneeding his fingers into the little muscles to try to take his mind off what he was saying. 'I wanted to take you as a wife, to build a home and keep you in it.' He said hollowly. The soft hand withdrew from his own and in that moment the Captain thought his hardened heart would surely die. He let his hands drop to his sides, his thoughts already on the bleak journey back to his empty ship and his liquor cabinet._

_As he went to turn away he resisted the urge to look one last time at the selkie's face. A face that had for a moment held the possibility of a warmth and happiness not meant for him. A hand against his arm stopped him in his tracks and then suddenly the selkie had catapulted into his arms._

'_Brave sailor,' she said staring up at him with tears in her eyes and a smile stretching over her face, 'why do you think I waited for you?'_

"_What?' The Captain gasped out, holding her to him in disbelief._

"_I saw you three months ago and knew I had to be with you, I followed your ship through many oceans, then I waited for you here. Three weeks you made me wait."_

_The Captain suddenly recalled 'his lucky seal', as his crew had called the little silver seal that had been repeatedly been spotted, it's huge eyes had always seemed to stare straight at him but he had dismissed the thought as a childish fancy._

_The Captain grasped the back of her neck and stared straight into her eyes._

"_I love you Lana Brigid will you marry –"_

_The Captain was cut off by the selkie pressing her lips to his in a sweet kiss. When she came up for her air she answered._

"_Yes yes, ye-"_

_He took a page from her book and similarly cut her off._

_Lana and the Captain were married as fast as the banns could be posted and for just over six years they lived happily in a cottage he built for them on the seashore. _

_The Captain was no longer sailing but had hired others to run his shipping business, content to fish and manage his family estates and care for his young wife. In the winter of the sixth year the Captain was approached by a dear friend who's cousin had gone missing, his friend implored the Captain to take up the search in his old ship. Bound by the ties of loyalty and friendship the Captain agreed. Now in all this time the couple had born no children which had been a cause of sadness for them but the captain dismissed his concern, he had a good home, loving wife and loyal friends to ask for more would only be asking for trouble. But when the Captain approached his wife to tell her he was leaving she looked at him with fear in her eyes._

"_I'm with child," she blurted out to her husband, "and I fear that if you leave something terrible may happen."_

_The Captain patted her soothingly, overwhelmed with joy at her words._

"_Don't fear Lana I will fetch back the young adventurer and be home long before you are due and my friends will be here to protect and look after you whilst I am gone."_

_Lana implored him again and again not to leave but the Captain was adamant that he would complete this one last mission before retiring to raise his family._

_The next week the Captain set out with a heavy heart at having to say goodbye to his beloved wife. As the ship set off he stared down into the water and was shocked to see a little silver seal. He gasped, astonished to recognise his wife._

"_Stay there!" He called down into the water as the ship set off. The silver seal stared, unmoving as the ship sailed past until the Captain could only see a silvery dot._

_The voyage was arduous and took much longer then the captain had intended when atlast he set his sights homeward, with the lost cousin in tow, six months had past._

_The captain raced home feeling strangely anxious the entire return trip._

_When the ship finally docked, the Captain was the first off the ship, he was surprised to see that his wife wasn't at the dock and with a sinking feeling the Captain hurried the last leg of the journey._

_Several metres from the cottage the Captain dismounted. Inside the cottage he could here a baby crying. The door was open, he noted dully as he took the steps two at a time._

_The cottage was empty, in a cradle by the cold fire a baby girl bawled her eyes out. Numb, the captain picked her up and cradled her in his arms as he stared about his home for any sign of his beloved wife._

'_She's gone out to get food, or more firewood.' He told himself but in the deepest pits of his miserable heart the Captain knew she was gone. The wooden chest where they had stored her skin stood empty, as abandoned as the Captain and his daughter." _

_Her grandfather stared out the window to the stormy ocean outside as if still expecting his wife to appear. Darci's four year-old self had her head turned into her grandfather's knee as tears slowly seeped into his pants._

_Her grandfather smoothed his hand across her head again and again._

"_Sometimes our nature is too hard to resist." The words were a warning as the tale had been intended to be, Darci was the first since her great grandmother to be born with the selkie gene and she knew deep down her great grandfather and her mother had always told her this tale because they feared she would follow in Lana's footsteps, unable to resist the call of the ocean._

When Darci cracked open her salt and sand encrusted eyelashes it was to that early, just before dawn light. _God, what was the time? _She thought, shame filling her as she picked her way across the beach, picking up her scattered clothing. Her subconscious had clearly recognised this as one step too far. _Falling asleep naked on a public beach, good one Darc_. Her fingers and toes were back to normal, her hair back to its' usual length, she raked her fingers through it as she gathered up her scattered clothes and slipped into them. She was lucky none of them had been swept away, as it was the sand was chafing and they were filthy. She crept up to the Gryffindor dorms, carrying her shoes in one hand, she silently slipped into her dorm. Her dorm mates were fast asleep so she crept into the shower. She spent a good few minutes getting clean and then dressed in a pink and black wa-lolita dress and took a red overcoat. She packed a bag with a couple of herb gathering items, some books and a sketching pad and pencils. She'd meet the others downstairs for breakfast and take them all on at once, in the meantime she'd finally do her Mystic Remedies course, and she could map out some of the forbidden forest whilst she was at it. She took out her pocket watch and glanced at the time, she had just under three hours before breakfast.

The forbidden forest was still quite dark when she managed to get into the thick of it, it was that quiet time after the crickets had finished chirping but the birds hadn't started singing yet. Darci stopped to gather some birch webcap mushrooms, good for long term sterilisation potions. She was distracted by a spider the size of her fist that was striped blue. It was busy at work beginning to build its' web, in fact now that she looked the forest was teaming with activity. A line of wood ants marched across the tree in front of her face and a moth spread out near her, completely camouflaged against its' bark background.

She wished she had her camera she thought as she worked her way through the thick undergrowth, she came out in a small clearing just in time to see a herd of deer escaping into the trees.

There it was! In a patch of dead grass under a dying tree was the wildflower she'd been looking for. They lay close to the ground in a small patch of black leaves, the vibrant red flowers looked ominous surrounded by so much death. The old duke only flowered at sunrise and was incredibly poisonous when flowering but if dried by a full moon it acted as an antidote to any known curse or disease, provided it was administered before the disease was fully rooted in or the patient was dead.

She pulled out some gloves and carefully snipped free a flower and two leaves deposited it in its' own plastic zip-lock bag.

Then sat down nearby and sketched the flower with coloured pencils, labelling the different properties and uses of different parts of the plant as she went.

She did this for a few other plants and made notes about the area for their map of Hogwarts before she was satisfied and headed back.

When she reached the great hall there weren't many students around but the whole group was there. Lily spotted her first and swore a blue streak.

"Where the hell have you been? We were searching high and low for you all last night!"

"Darci! Oh thank god you're okay!" Ami rushed up and hugged her around the middle; she was followed by Vi, who gave Darci a shaky smile and a quick but tight hug.

'_I was so worried.' _She signed.

"See I told you she was fine, probably just having some fun, right sexy?" Zee winked at her.

"We rang several times, I'd appreciate you makin' a note that in future your to keep your phone on you in case I have to contact you." Tat chimed in.

"I'm so sorry everyone," Darci spoke over them, "I fell asleep studying in an empty classroom, I guess my mobile died while I was asleep."

"Quite a reasonable explanation, I myself have fallen asleep several times whilst studying but you must be careful, a restful sleep is the key to success." Lena said, sounding very much like she was repeating someone.

"Well thank god you're okay. We were going to go to Dumbledore if you didn't show up for breakfast." Lily was still looking at her with worried speculation.

"I told them you might just be happy havin' some time by yourself, seein' as you've been off wanderin' a few times lately." Tat gave her a piercing look, and then turned back to painting her nails.

"I thought you were kidnapped." Ami said with big eyes.

Darci had to laugh at that and a couple of the others giggled and snickered.

"Well I'm fine so I thought you guys should know about some knew discoveries…"

Darci explained about the Room of Requirement and the parts of the forbidden forest she'd found. She left out how she'd found the Room of Requirement, just saying a house elf had mentioned it to her.

"Those sneaky little bastards know everything." Zee said admiringly.

Tat brought out several huge sheafs of parchment and began making detailed notes and asking very involved questions about room dimensions and landmarks, as if Darci had had time to measure the width of the walls.

'_Maybe we could use the Room of Requirement for the party.' _Vi signed, Darci translated although the others were picking up sign language surprisingly quickly, Tat was already answering before Darci translated.

"No, Zee and I already decided on the Dead Man's Yard. It has a great feel so close to Halloween, besides we don't want to be giving away all of Hogwarts best secrets."

The Dead Man's Yard was a courtyard with a broken fountain of a man with a severed head; it was a-joint to an unused classroom in the northwest wing.

"Plus Dead Man's Yard is probably easier to find."

"Speaking of the party I've finished all your costumes at last so they'll be all ready for tonight."

"Exccccellent, mine had better be scandalously sexy, I refuse to show up to my own party in anything less."

Darci zoned out, Sirius had just walked in. His eyes found hers immediately. He frowned, his gaze searching her face and Darci wondered if he was angry at how she'd run off last night but he gave her a small smile and sat down closer then usual.

"Hey, are you feeling better?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah much better actually, sorry about running off last night."

"That's alright, I see you have your appetite back." He motioned to her full plate pancakes (full moons always made her starving) with his lips curling back into their usual grin. "I swear you're the only girl I've ever met whose appetite could match mine."

Most of the Brigands and Marauders, except Remus who was oddly missing, seemed unsure of how to react to Darci and Sirius' sudden cordiality except James' who slumped down into the seat on Sirius' other side.

"He's lying. No one can match Sirius' appetite, it's like a circus act or a dozen pregnant women." He claimed whilst eating directly off the serving platters.

Darci laughed and the rest of the group seemed to relax and shrug off the sudden cordiality with the Marauders.

"How's Mercy?" Darci asked when it was clear there would be no epic war over her talking to Sirius.

"Good, very lively. I took her down to Hagrid's before breakfast and she's with the rest of your flock now."

"You met my pets?"

"Yeah, I like your goat alot although he chewed a hole in my jeans."

"Yeah that sounds like Mandy, is Mercy getting along with them all alright?"

"Yeah she was sleeping half on your St Bernard when I left."

Darci chuckled. "So are you coming to the party tonight?"

Zee dropped her fork with a clatter.

"Gee thanks for asking me before you invite our arch enemies to my b-day bash Darc." She said sarcastically.

"Oh, ah, that is, if you-," Darci stumbled over her words.

"It's fine Darci, me and Zee actually already invited them." Tat said from where she reclined on the table eating grapes.

"And yes, we're coming." Sirius interjected quickly.

"Then why…?"

"We were only going to invite them so we could prank their stupid asses; which really isn't going to work if you're draped all over one of them." Zee said pointedly.

Darci realised she was leaning in towards Sirius and quickly straightened up blushing a little.

"Well we all have things to see to, so Darci'll see ya'll at the party tonight." Tat said as she grabbed Darci's arm and started towing her away.

"But I'm not done eating!" Darci complained as she stuffed half a pancake in her mouth and followed. She hated when her breakfast was interrupted.

Tat carted them all to the Shadow Grove.

"Alrighty now young sugar muffins, if ya'll be quiet please." Tat said once they were all settled in the grove.

"Good, now I think it's about time we had a group meeting to examine our objectives."

"And this couldn't wait until I finished my pancakes?"

Tat ignored that. "Also I hope you all brought your homework, I need the answers."

"Why do you need this stuff anyway? I thought you were meant to be all knowing."

"I am but it's important that I get the facts from your perspective."

Once they had handed in their answers, Tat pulled out plans for the party and began to discuss faulty paper lanterns and people's allergies.

Darci zoned out her mind, her mind wondering onto what the coming night would hold.

At lunch Tat suggested a picnic so they snuck down to the kitchens to grab supplies off the house elves. They all piled out into the warm sunlight and spread out their blue and red chequered picnic blanket out next to the lake and near a huge weeping willow. The sun baked down pleasantly on Darci as she spread out atop the blanket and chewed on her salad sandwich.

A shadow spread out over Darci, glancing up Darci couldn't see his face obscured as it was by the glare of sunlight behind him, her heart did a weird little happy dance immediately assuming it was Sirius. It dropped a little when he leaned down and Darci saw that it was Will, she tried not to let it show as he gave her a wide smile with all his teeth.

"So I hear you're coming to Zaresh's party, I can't wait to see you, and what you're wearing…" he trailed off as his gaze swept over her in a way that made her feel very underdressed and a little creeped out.

"Hey! What the fuck! You're not coming to my party you little freak, why the fuck would _I_ invite _you_?"

"You didn't, I did." Tat announced calmly.

"What?"

Calmly ignoring Zee's sounds of protest Tat explained. "As your only living relative attending the school he should be there and besides I wanted to even up the house numbers and we had a lack of Slytherins."

Darci zoned out there argument as Will crouched down, lazily drawing a finger over her cheek he murmured "I can barely wait for tonight."

"Pratt-boy I'm telling you this once and once only and then I'm going to start cursing, get the fuck out of my sunlight."

Will gave her a rueful smile, "well I'll see you later then Darci."

"Well then look at that our little Darci's only been here for barely two weeks and she's already got two admiring gentlemen, you'll have your own little fan club before you can say Jack Robinson." Tat gave her a wide smile over her lemonade.

"They're not admiring gentlemen." Darci mumbled, blushing hard.

"Oh please the only way him and Black could be any more obvious was if they fought over you like a piece of meat." Lena remarked.

Darci grabbed a cup of chocolate as she mused over what they had said.

At six o'clock they were gathered in Tat's Hufflepuff dormitory. Darci looked around wonderingly, she loved exploring Hogwarts. The Hufflepuff common room and dormitories reminded Darci a little of a burrow with all of their perfectly round doors and tunnels and windows. The common room had been smaller then the Gryffindor common room and had had a carpet of gold and black stripes pinwheeling out from the centre point. Fat square armchairs had been haphazardly strewn everywhere and a large projector had been set up for movies in one corner.

The dormitories seemed larger although that could merely be Darci's imagination as she was fairly sure Tat's section took up about 80% of the dormitories full space. Tat's section of the room was squadroned off from the rest of the room by different pieces of gold and black fabric, all different textures, designs and sizes from gold silk scarves to sheets of black velvet and lace of the palest lemon.

Her bed was decorated similarly with tiny cushions of every fabric strewn over the gold and black beaded bedspread. Gold silk curtains made a canopy against the wall above the headboard.

Everywhere in Tats' sectioned room fabrics exploded out of overstuffed trunks and lay strewn across the floor, a huge bookshelf stood next to her bed, covered in and stuffed with materials. A dressmakers' manikin on the opposite side sported a half made hat and the beginnings of a skirt.

It amused Darci that Tat, who came across as so prim and orderly had such a horrendously messy room.

Tat was pulling two piles of boxes out from under her bed.

"Here you go munchkins," she said as she set the boxes on the bed in front of them, "your costumes at last."

Darci had already managed to get the accessories for her costume, a long twisting scimitar made out of a dark metal and cool enough that she was seriously considering starting her own collection of weapons, it attached to a belt made of metal brooches linked together. She had found her crown on a lucky bid on ebay, it was a tiara made of a similar metal as her scimitar with metal roses embedded with garnets on the sides and a then a series of sharp prongs getting higher until the middle, she liked the two sides to it, it matched Persephone perfectly.

"Go on sugars, you can change behind my other dorm-mates curtains they're with the other Huffs in the other dorm.

Darci slipped behind a curtain and opened the box with her name written on it. Darci took a full several minutes to absorb the full beauty of the dress. The top was a darker-than-blood red and had off the shoulder whisps of silk, tiny white embroidered flowers decorated the top larger at the top and fading at the waistline, their delicate strands looking like a dusting of snow and at odds with the dark sensuality of the rest of the dress. The dress had a low back that reached only a few inches over her butt when she put it on and was held together by a few crisscrossing strands. At the waist the dress changed to black layer upon layer of rippling silk that reached about an inch above her knee at the front and all the way to the floor at the back. The black was interspersed by strings of lace that gathered in the swirls of black silk.

"I love it! Darci shouted as she emerged from behind the curtain and did a twirl, the fabric flowed and whipped up around her with the movement.

"Oh good I had fun with that one." Tat said as she emerged from her own curtain dresses in a white chiffon spaghetti strap dress with gold strings wrapped around the torso, a dangerously low bodice line and a slit up one side of the skirt.

She was curling her hair with one hand and attempting to fasten a intricate gold earring into the other.

"Wow, Tat you look amazing."

"Not as amazing as I!" Zee yelled as she yanked back her curtain triumphantly. She wore a long black dress. The top was made of a sheaf of black fabric that started just under her navel covered one breast, wrapped around the back of her neck and came back down over the other to finish in the same place. The skirt was a simple column of black silk with a slit up one leg that almost reached her hip. A red cape with bold embroidered shoulders and a draping back that for some reason brought to Darci's mind roman empires completed the outfit. It was daring to say the least but with Zee's perfectly toned, and round in all the right places body she could pull it off.

Lena and Ami emerged at around about the same time, took one look at each other's dresses and started yelling at Tat. Darci could see why, although gorgeous both dresses were matching in style. They both had the traditional greek style tops with twisted fabric cotton straps and empire waist dresses. Lena's top was cornflower blue and the skirt was made of thousands of strips of different curling fabric in every shade of blue imaginable. Ami's top was baby pink and the strips of fabric red pink and creams.

"Will both of you shut up and thank Tat, she made you a lovely present and you should be grateful." Darci shouted over the top of their whining.

They looked rightfully chastened and muttered thankyous in Tat's direction.

Tat threw a grateful smile in Darci's direction.

Lily emerged in a corset dress, with celtic patterns on the faux leather corset top and a spray of brown and cream chiffon emerging from the waist and reaching about mid thigh. It had a thin silver-blue cape that draped mostly over one shoulder.

"How kick-ass do I look?"

Darci gave her a grin and a thumbs up.

Tat called out to the remaining curtain.

"Hey Vi, you done? Come out and show us honey I need to see if any adjustments need to be made."

Tat didn't wait for an answer just strode over and slipped behind the curtain.

"What are you talking about? It fits perfectly." Darci heard from behind the curtain. Tat drew it back to reveal a blushing Vi. The dress was a floor length, deep purple and silk strapless and had a sweetheart neckline. It was embroidered with black decals on the bodice and torso and did indeed fit her perfectly. It was completed with a long sleeve black lace bolero.

"It's gorgeous I've just never really had-" Vi signed.

"Clothes that fit, I've noticed." Tat interrupted dryly.

"You look great Vi," Darci said encouragingly, Vi smiled but still blushed.

The next hour was hectic as they helped each other put on make-up, squeeze into shoes and don accessories. Darci had put on her sword, belt and tiara, and dyed her hair black with dark red tips, she also put on dark red beaded heels. Tat had put her hair up fastening it with more gold strands with just a few curls lingering on her shoulders, put on stiletto gold roman sandals and bangles.

Zee had put on six inch, silver, spike heels, a belt of metal, bejewelled skulls and a tiara that was similar to Darci's but all waving spikes and much taller.

Lena had but on a gold circlet and put her hair up whilst Ami had donned a wreath of flowers and left her hair down and curling around her shoulders. They both put on kitten heels of matching colours to their dresses.

Lily had put on a shield over her left arm, had a spear in the other, brown thigh high boots and little fingerless gauntlets over her hands. She had braided her hair in wild war plaits.

Vi had put on adorable, metal, styled cat ears and strappy black heels, she had put half of her hair up in an intricate design and left the other half curling over her shoulder. She had finished the whole look with a double string of black pearls around her neck.

"Right well I think we're finally ready to go munchkins!" Tat announced.

An hour into the party and Darci was sulking. Oh the party was amazing, Zee had loved the present Darci had gotten her, a thorn collar similar to Darci's, dog tags with her name engraved and a full year's subscription to the vampire fiction collection, a collection that sent out a vampire book every month. The layout was fantastic, a fully decked out empty classroom, a three tiered birthday cake, paper lanterns strong up over a moonlit courtyard but there was one thing missing – the Marauders. In addition to this Darci had had to put up with Will all night he kept on fetching her drinks and trying to get her alone Darci had no clue how to get rid of him.

"Are you sure you should be drinking that?"

Darci's heart leaped into her throat and she leaped on him.

"Sirius, you're here!" She gasped and then remembered that a. she was angry at him and b. it was probably impolite to be so interested in Sirius whilst Will was there. God what was wrong with her tonight.

Zee snorted from behind her, "so much for group loyalties."

"Why shouldn't I be drinking this?" She looked at her plastic glass of punch Will had fetched her and was fascinated by how the light hit her cup, her eyes couldn't quite concentrate on it though, they kept drifting away and sliding off when she was trying to focus. God she felt so dizzy and hot.

"It's usually spiked at these types of parties, here swap you."

He held out his cup, "it's pumpkin juice."

"Hey I saw you put something in-" Zee started.

"Just a touch of rum to make it taste better, see?" He pulled out a bottle of small bottle of rum from his pants pocket. "It's sure to be better then whatever's in the punch judging from how soused you are, how many of those have you had?" He asked Darci.

"I've had five and I don't feel a thing." Zee slurred a little. Darci was preoccupied with Sirius' pants. They were good pants, black jeans that fit snugly just below his hips. He wore no shirt instead a swath of black cloth was affixed by a metal clasp at one shoulder, the other arm was concealed by metal vambraces and a large plate over his shoulder. In that arm he clutched a menacing two pronged trident, hey she knew that.

"You're Hades! I'm Persephone!" She exclaimed as he took her cup from her and replaced it with his own.

"That's right, have I told you, lovely wife, that you look amazing tonight?" His voice was deep and throaty, so good, like hot chocolate. She caught his eye, she'd never known grey could be so warm like heated metal it seemed to be the only thing that could hold her gaze.

Will cleared his throat and she looked away blushing.

"Oh hey Pratt," Zee said suddenly, "did I tell you I got a letter from your mommy last week, turns out she sent you a letter a while back and as you haven't replied she's decided to cut off your allowance."

"What! I didn't get any letter."

Zee laughed, "Oh that was so the reaction I was going for, here's the letter she sent me." She passed it to Will, he scanned through it quickly and then swore and gave Sirius a foul look.

"Why don't you go slink back into the marauders' little rat hole over there Black? Darci my dear I apologise but I have to leave momentarily."

He turned, fishing his mobile out.

"Oh and I wouldn't call her if I was you, you know how she loathes muggle technology, but it's not that far to the owlery."

"It's nine floors." Will snapped.

"I know," said a beaming Zee, clearly enjoying every ounce of his anger.

He gave her a black look and stalked off.

"Thanks for that." Sirius said giving Zee a grin.

"Yeah no problem but I think I'd better go and save Vi over there, I don't think she knows the punch is spiked."

"I'm sorry I'm late you wouldn't believe how long James takes to do his hair."

Darci giggled at the thought of James preening for hours in front of the mirror, wow she _giggled_ now? She glanced over his shoulder to see James' dressed as Dionysus already flirting with him. Nearby Remus dressed as Anubis examined a tray piled with balls of chocolate and Peter stuffed his face dressed as a really terrible cupid.

Sirius gave her a warm grin, "to make up for my unforgivable lateness I brought you something." He produced from behind his back a pomegranate.

She chuckled, "how did you know I was coming as Persephone?"

"I didn't, it was fate, kismet. Walk with me?"

Darci nodded taking the arm he offered although she was beginning to feel quite ill.

"Here," Sirius took the pomegranate back off her and peeled away the skin pricking out a few seeds and offering them to her on the blunt side of his knife. Darci glanced at him shyly and nibbled the seeds off his knife. Sirius gave her another grin before his gaze slid to her lips and his expression became more heated.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while as darci tried to concentrate on walking straight until they had reached the South West courtyard. Sirius led her over to sit down on one of the marble benches. Darci reached out to touch one of the roses, in her clumsiness she missed the rose and got pricked by one of the thorns.

"Ow" she murmured as she stared at the blood welling although she was feeling so oddly numb at the moment she hadn't even felt the thorn cut her.

"Let me see that, daft lass." Sirius muttered with a tinge of Irish accent that she'd never heard in his voice before.

In a weird movement he wrapped his lips around it and sucked on it like she might have done if she'd been able to feel it.

The moment felt heavy as her gaze wondered from those heated grey eyes staring so intently into hers to that warm, soft looking mouth. God she wished he would kiss ker. Her mouth slid open and a little sound of pleasure slid out at the thought. Sirius groaned, sounding defeated and then he was kissing her. His lips were warm and searching making her heart pound and little sparks go off in her gut. His tongue swept lightly over the inside of her bottom lip making her weak with pleasure. She opened her mouth automatically her hand clenching in his hair as a little whimper escaped her and was swallowed in his kiss as his tongue pushed hotly into her mouth. He clenched her to him for one long, searing moment before he pushed himself gently. They were both panting slightly, Sirius had his head bowed, seeming to be in some inner turmoil. Darci's hand was still clenched in his hair she observed dreamily as she unclenched it and dreamily sifted her fingers through the silk-like strands. Sirius looked up at that, straight into her eyes although her gaze quickly drifted away. He made a noise of frustration.

"God I am an asshole, you are completely pissed and I practically attack you."

"I am not and you didn't attack me." Darci tried to say but her tongue felt too heavy and it came out sounding barely like English. Sirius looked worried now.

"Alright princess lets get you back to your castle."

Darci stood up and immediately knew she'd made a mistake, her head swam and spots danced before her eyes, just before the world turned black she felt the ground give out from underneath her feet.

Sirius reacted just in time to catch Darci as she fell.

"Bloody hell you must have drunk like a frat pledge before I showed up."

He cradled her against his chest as he tried to think where to put her. He didn't think it was such a good idea now to take her up to the Gryffindor dormitories, even if he managed to get her up the seven flights of stairs, work the anti-jinx for the girls staircase and get her into bed, there might be other girls in there who would get Darci into trouble for having a boy in her room and for being off her face drunk. No definitely not a good idea. He was thinking of maybe trying to get up to the room of requiremnent when his gaze landed on old Professor Helix's office. It had been empty for going on four years now since old Helix had retired and like many of the professors' offices it had a bedroom attached.

Once Sirius had wrangled his way through the cramped office and into the tiny bedroom he examined it, it wasn't too bad, tiny and worn but clean at least. He pulled back the blankets, set her in and pulled them back up, tucking her in. On a last thought he went outside and plucked the rose she had tried to get, going back inside he lay it on the bed stand next to her head. She looked so peaceful and warm he was tempted to stay, just sit beside her, if he'd had his sketching pad this would have been the perfect opportunity. One more glance at her swollen, red lips and the blanket slipping down to reveal the cleavage shown off by that damned dress and he knew staying was a very bad idea.

Will was in a very bad mood despite having just had a quickie with that stupid sixth year tart Matilda. The powdered Beriswood he'd slipped into Darci's drink would have started effecting well over half an hour ago and he'd returned to the party to discover she'd gone off with that fuckwit Black. He turned the corner just in time to see the devil himself emerge from old Helix's office looking dazed and vaguely awed. Will waited until he'd heard Black heading off in the opposite direction before he rounded the corner, a suspicion taking hold. He didn't know whether to be pleased or even more pissed to find Darci in old Helix's bed. Black must have fucked her he concluded eyeing her mussed hair and bruised lips and remembering the expression on Black's face as he left, weirdly her clothes were on but Will figured Black must've dressed her again, although God knows why. Will should've been pleased to find her such an easy target, like a rabbit already snared but the idea of taking that mudblood sympathiser's sloppy seconds made him see red. Another idea was forming in his mind though as he yanked her up just long enough to unzip and yank off the dress. He'd drive a wedge between them, turn her against him and watch Black's face as she ran into his arms. The branding spell was relatively painless not that it would matter, the Beriswood would make her so numb he could probably saw off one of her fingers. He was almost distracted from his mission by the pink tipped round little breasts that had been nude beneath the dress; he was tempted to have a feel until he thought of Black touching them. Gritting his teeth he went to work. Five minutes later, his work finished, his gaze wondered down to the little white boyleg panties she wore, his hand wondered up to clasp her breast and he decided one little fuck wouldn't do him any harm. He had just reached over to yank her up so he could pull off her panties when a he felt a sharp stab of pain in his side. When he looked down he was shocked to see the sword he hadn't even noticed her wearing partially imbedded in his side.

He looked up at her face just in time to see her fall back into unconsciousness and in a surge of anger slapped her hard around the face. The hit barely roused her.

He pulled himself off the sword and, clutching his wound, staggered out of the room and toward the hospital wing, already explanations forming in his head.

Darci woke up with a feeling of deep seated dread, it weighed on her heavily in her gut like a stone, for the first few moments she kept her eyes clamped shut trying to shut out the outside world and that feeling of dread. When she opened them her eyes fixed on an unfamiliar dresser table and sitting atop it a wilting red rose. She frowned disorientation setting in as she glanced around the tiny unfamiliar room. She sat up quickly and it felt like a cord that had disconnected her had just been plugged in. Fierce pain ripped through the bottom of her stomach, the left side of her face felt hot and bruised, she had a fierce headache, she felt vaguely nauseated and her arms ached and neck ached from having slept in a weird position. As she automatically reached to cover the fierce pain in her stomach she realised something else. Except for her panties she was naked. Her stomach dropped straight to her feet with a lurch of dark foreboding, like missing the last step on a staircase. She clenched her eyes shut again as she searched back, clawing for something she remembered. She was Darci Roane, she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she had been looking foreward to Zee's birthday. Zee's birthday! She remembered she had been there, she'd been bored and Sirius had been late, but then he'd shown up. She struggled at that point her memory coming in pieces like a slideshow, walking with Sirius, Sirius kissing her finger better, kissing Sirius and then…nothing. Panic well and truly setting in now she struggled to stand, the scimitar she hadn't even realised she'd been holding fell to the ground with a thud and she realised she had blood on that hand. She was distracted from the blood by the sight of her exposed stomach. All at once another memory came rushing back, a dark room and a man leaning over her stomach, his hand fondling her breast his other creeping down past her navel… Darci barely made it to the tiny cramped bathroom before violently throwing up in the toilet. Branded bold letters over her stomach was the word WHORE. She knelt there on the cold tiled floor for a few moments, dry heaving and letting the cool blanket of shock settle over her.

When she went back into the room she was numb, she gathered up the dress and put it back on, gingerly fingering a tear down the side. What a shame it had been such a pretty dress. She picked up the rest of her things and held them close to her chest as she made her way up to the Gryffindor common room eventlessly and was relieved to find it empty. When she opened the door to her dorm she was greeted with the six drawn and pale faces of her friends.

"Darci!" Darci was silent as she was enveloped by all her friends one by one.

When they finally fell silent and drew back, Darci dropped down to sit on her bed. They were all silent as they stared at her questioningly. Darci noted with a distant feeling of surprise, Lena and Ami sitting together, holding hands and wearing matching pastel sundresses.

Darci drew in a breath, "I need," she swallowed and cleared her throat surprised by the sound of her own raw voice, "I need to see a healer, someone outside the school. I think I've been sexually assaulted." Darci was a virgin and fairly sure she'd know if she'd been raped.

There was an awful silence at her words. It was like a bucket of water had been dumped on their little circle of friends and some dark factor which had never been a part of it previously had been suddenly introduced.

Four hours later Darci sat across from a Ms Dallas in a private clinic in Hogsmeade. After Darci had taken an hour long shower they had all crept through one of the secret passageways Tat had known about and Zee had taken them here explaining she'd heard about it from another Slytherin girl.

The examination had been fairly quick, Darci liked Ms Dallas she was efficient yet had a warmth about her that was sometimes hard to find in healers and best of all she was completely confidential and had agreed not to contact Darci's legal guardian.

"Well Miss Roane, you seem fine except for the markings on your stomach and the bruises all of which should be healed within the hour with the salve I've put on them. The loss of memory you described is likely the result of an infusion of powdered Beriswood into something you drank or ate, it's the magical equivalent of a date rape drug. You're very lucky this could've been a lot worse. Although I won't report this to either the authorities or your parents I must strongly advise you, Ms Roane to take this to the ministry."

Darci stared down at the floor silently, she could think of nothing worse right now then to have to repeat this to aurors and judges and officials. She just wanted to forget it ever happened and let it fade into the past like her bruises.

Ms Dallas made a disappointed noise but let her go. In the waiting room Vi and Lily were the first to drag her into hugs. Zee was fuming, Darci had told them bits and pieces on the way, leaving out what had been on her stomach and Zee had had enough time to stew over the clues and come to a conclusion.

"It has to have been Sirius, I mean he switched your drinks and then he was the last person you remember being around. God I hope Dumbledore makes sure he rots in Azkaban."

"I'm not telling Dumbledore." Darci received the same amount of expressions of shock and confusion that she had expected.

"I don't know that whoever was in the room with me was the same person who slipped me the drug or that they didn't think I was willing. Telling will mean he'll have to ask students questions, everyone in the school will know what's happened before tomorrow afternoon."

"Fine we'll deal with it ourselves then, we all know who did it. Trust me I can make it so that he won't even be able to look a girl in the eye."

"No! Look I don't know that it was Sirius."

"What more proof do you need? He switched your drink, we know he's had a thing for you, he was gone for the rest of the night and he was the last person you remember being with."

"I know! I know, it's just that it doesn't feel right, and until I'm absolutely positive he did it no revenge schemes."

It took Darci a while but she finally managed to wrangle out of Zee an agreement not to neuter Sirius.

Back at the castle Darci parted ways with her friends just saying she needed some time alone, they looked worried but let her go.

Darci walked aimlessly through the forbidden forest for a few hours finally finding a clearing she sat down under a large oak tree and put her head on her knees.

She wasn't sure how much time passed, the sky darkened and it eventually started to rain. She got soaked quickly but still sat there, feeling frozen and alone.

Sometimes she heard the distant patter of hooves or scurrying animals in the undergrowth but she ignored them.

Sirius had no idea what was going on. He had woken up in the morning excited at the prospect of seeing Darci but when he'd gone downstairs for breakfast none of the Brigands were at the Gryffindor table. At lunch he'd finally seen them lounging around the end of the table, looking unnaturally withdrawn. When Zee had spotted him she'd given him a look so foul he'd stopped short.

"Oh you've got a lot of nerve coming anywhere near us right now."

He frowned, unsure how to deal with that.

"I don't understand, why? Where's Darci?"

"Stay the fuck away from Darci asshole." Zee replied.

"Darci is doesn't wish to see you right now or ever in fact. I must have really misjudged you." Tatiana said as she gave him a piercing stare as if she was trying to see inside him.

He backed off and went to return to his friends, completely mystified as to what he'd done to offend the Brigands so much when he heard a chuckle.

He turned to see that Slytherin dick Will leaning against the Hufflepuff table.

"Wow you must have really fucked up huh? Well I'll be sure not to make the same mistake with our mutual friend."

Sirius only just restrained himself from punching the asshole by leaving, he wondered out into the rain, heading towards the Forbidden Forest, feeling in need of a run.

Darci was roused from her weird dreamlike state by the sight of a dark shadow on the other side of the clearing. She raised her head and met eyes with what she was sure was a huge black wolf, after a moment of examining it she realised with a jolt of foreign-feeling pleasure that it was a Grimm, her favourite animal outside of seals.

It seemed to be frowning at her with its' odd, intelligent, grey eyes. Darci moved to a crouch, her body protesting the movement after so long staying still and edged across the clearing towards it, being careful not to startle it but the grimm growled at her with a sulky look. She settle back to sitting down, disappointed she was about to go back to under the tree when she felt a wet nose nudge her cheek. The grimm plunked itself down across from her and watched her warily as she carefully reached out and brushed it's wet fur. The little rush off happiness seemed to have a snowball effect on her emotions and before she knew it tears were pouring down her face.

The grimm gave a soft "wuf" and licked a few of them away before settling across her lap. Darci wrapped her arms around the big animal, buried her face in his fur and let down all her walls.

* * *

**AN: Okay so bit of a different tune at the end of this one, if you want to read more you know what the magic word is - review! :)**


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